Charm School
by night.drive
Summary: Ginny Weasley finds herself trying to navigate the strange and confusing traditions of pure-blood society in Narcissa Malfoy's Charm School, where she encounters catty girls, a meticulous teacher, and worst of all, Draco Malfoy. Will she come out on top or be defeated? CH. 20 POSTED.
1. Decisions

**DISCLAIMER: **I don't own anything here that looks familiar. J.K. Rowling & all those other companies do. A girl can dream.

**A/N: **Okay, I swear this story won't take 8 years to complete. I don't have school anymore to distract me (lol), so I def. have way more time! Please R&R - feedback is seriously helpful. Or if you wanna be beta - I'm in need of one!

**one. decisions.**

It was an ugly day like no other, the dark gray clouds clashing against each other. The rain was pouring down in heavy sheets as thunder light the sky. The countryside looked dull and dark as Ginny Weasley looked at it through sullen eyes from inside the carriage window.

Or so it was in the mind of the resigned redhead. It was actually a surprisingly sunny morning, a scant few clouds floating by lazily in the tranquil blue sky. The rolling hills that moved alongside the ride were green and expansive, just waiting to be run through. Ginny couldn't even enjoy the lovely Wiltshire countryside as the horse-drawn carriage trudged along the paved dirt path. She sank back and closed her eyes, suddenly feeling very tired as she reflected upon the situation that got her here.

* * *

><p>"Ginny, will you be a dear and answer the door?" Her mother's voice called up from the kitchen.<p>

"Sure, Mum!" Ginny called back, making her way towards the staircase. Her fiery ponytail bounced around as she rushed down the stairs.

Throwing the door open, the youngest Weasley was presented with an elderly man in Ministry black robes, top hat covering his balding head.

"Hello. How can I help you? My father is actually at work, sir," she greeted, deducing that this man had come to see father.

"Good afternoon, ma'am. I'm actually here to see a…" the old man put on his spectacles and peered down at the parchment he procured from his robe pocket. "Ginevra Molly Weasley? Is she home?"

"I'm Ginevra," Ginny replied uncertainly.

"Fantastic! My name is Zacharias Patton. I am a solicitor from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement," the old man's eyes twinkled. He took his top hat off, revealing a balding crown. Looking expectantly at the young woman, he asked, "Is it alright if I come in? I have an important matter to discuss with you."

"Listen, sir, if something happened at St. Mungo's, I'm still technically in the training progr…" Ginny began, panicking as each ridiculous scenario ran across her brain.

"Oh, nothing like that, ma'am!" He waved her off with a chuckle as she led him to an armchair adjacent to the sofa.

"Who was at the door, Ginny?" Molly Weasley came into the living room, wiping her hands on her apron.

"This is Mr. Patton, a solicitor from the Ministry," Ginny introduced. "And this is my mother, sir, Molly Weasley."

Shaking hands with Molly, Zacharias jumped in, "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Weasley."

Pulling out an envelope from the breast pocket of his robe, he began, "As I was just beginning to explain to your daughter, I am here to bestow upon her the Last Will and Testament of Cedrella Weasley."

"Mr. Patton, I think you must be mistaken. My grandmother passed away a little over twenty years ago," Ginny stated, perplexed, shooting her mother an uncertain glance.

"Yes, yes, I know that. However, a specific stipulation in her will stated that this clause be presented prior to her granddaughter's twenty first birthday, should she have one."

A look of realization flashed upon Molly's face. "Unbelievable. She must not have updated her will before she died."

"Mum? You know about this?" Ginny was so confused. _What in the world was happening? _

"It'll all make sense once Mr. Patton explains," she patted her daughter's hand.

Zacharias cleared his throat and began, "'To my granddaughter, Ginevra Molly Weasley, I bequeath 750 Galleons from my personal trust at Gringotts Bank, so long as the guidelines stipulated below are met.'"

Ginny stared at the man as if he had sprouted another head.

"SEVEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY GALLEONS? _SEVEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY GALLEONS?"_ Ginny squeaked.

Who knew ol' grandmother Weasley had that much gold laying around? She couldn't even conceive what that amount looked like in her head. Her mind was blown at the notion of a large pile of gold sitting around, shining brightly, just waiting to be spent. She had never seen more than a few Galleons at a time, let alone hundreds.

"…To me? Why me?"

"Ginny, listen on," Molly chided. "You aren't just being handed this sum."

"WHO CARES? It's 750 Galleons! Imagine what I could do with that money! I could move out of Shell Cottage! I could go and visit Charlie in Romania or go to Italy or Brazil! I could send you and Dad on an amazing trip! I could…" Before she could continue, Molly shushed her daughter.

"Right," Zacharias continued. "In order to get this money, you must complete several conditions the late Mrs. Weasley has so stated. 'In order to receive this quantity, Ginevra Molly Weasley must:

Agree to participate in the debutante ball that is organized every two years by Mulieres Viginti Octo.

Complete Finishing School that is also hosted by said organization in Item One.

Complete the entire process of the debutante by having a ball in recognition of her twenty first birthday.

All of these contingencies must be met within a week of Ginevra Molly Weasley's twenty first birthday.'"

* * *

><p>Ginny's laughter could still be heard that evening as she sat around the kitchen table for supper with her parents.<p>

"Now, now, Gin, that's enough," Molly tried to calm her daughter. "The task at hand is really not that bad."

"Excuse me?" Ginny sputtered. She whirled around to her mother. "I AM not about to paraded around in front of sleazy, rich men and their equally abhorrent old-fashioned families! It's the twenty-first bloody century! That woman is – was – batty!"

"Ginny Weasley! You will not speak ill of the deceased under my roof!" Her mother chastised. After hearing a mutter of apology, she continued. "Your grandmother was beyond thrilled after she heard that she was finally having a granddaughter! She wanted to pass down her family traditions to her own daughter had she had one and wanted to be able to do so with you."

"So she decided that bribing me was the way to go?" Ginny huffed after a fork full of potatoes.

"Well, she was still a Black in the end," Arthur cut in quietly. "Even though my mother married a Weasley, she still cherished many of her family traditions. Almost all of the descendants of the Twenty Eight have participated in the debutante process and coming out to society."

The youngest Weasley only huffed again in response, the fire in her belly extinguishing from the guilt that was settling in.

"It's not like you two did that," She pointed out, unable to keep her mouth shut. "You eloped right out of Hogwarts."

"Gin, we were in a war during that time. There were no time for such frivolities," Molly responded.

"And _I_ have time for such frivolity? I just finished my Healer's training program a week ago, and I will be taking a full-time position in the fall."

Molly sighed. There was no getting through to a stubborn Ginny. "No one is forcing your hand in participating in all of this. Your grandmother Weasley simply wanted to be able to present her daughter to the society that she was very much still a part of even if her own family disowned her. She was still a proud woman despite the circumstances. We agree that this pureblooded elite nonsense is loony but that's what she would have wanted. It's not as if she's forcing you to marry any of these blokes."

"I don't care how much this meant to the woman. I will not be paraded around like a piece of property that's waiting to be bought by some of the most arrogant, backwards people in all of Britain!" Ginny adamantly said, as she roughly began to clear the table before stomping on each step up the stairs.

* * *

><p>Ginny sighed as she sank onto the small twin bed in her childhood bedroom. The parchments in her paper presented her with a very strange proposition. The promise to become completely independent from her parents and move out on her own. Like all of the Weasleys, Ginny had left the nest after the War. Er, sort of. Her oldest brother Bill had offered a place to stay at his home, Shell Cottage. It was not the most ideal of places, being along the coast, but it offered Ginny a sense of independence without the cost. However, his wife, Fleur, was expecting in a matter of months, and she decided that it was finally time to move out on her own. There was no way she was going to come crawling back to her parents' house. Ginny was too proud to admit defeat.<p>

Her brown eyes scanned the small airy pink room. She glanced at the friendly orchard outside of her cozy nook, where she had spent many hours reading, writing, and dreaming. Poster figures of the Weird Sisters and Gwenog Jones waved and winked at her. Her neat but stuffed bookcase looked dusty, having been cast aside in favor of work and adult life.

_Ugh, work, _the redhead groaned. Ginny didn't want to think about it. Her first official day as a full-fledged Healer was in a couple of months and she was not ready. Sure, she had been able to skip basic healing classes thanks to her field experience with the Order after the war, but she was still nervous. She loved that she was able to help people; mend them literally and figuratively, especially during the aftermath of the War. She had decided to take on the difficult career of a Healer in order to show everyone that Ginny Weasley could take care of herself. No one was ever going to cast her aside for fear of her safety again.

"750 Galleons." She let the number roll off of her tongue slowly as she laid back on the bed. She would be able to pay for a lovely flat for months in London, granting her easy access to St. Mungo's. But did she really want to sell her dignity, morals, and pride for money?

_What have you got to lose? _A little voice whispered in her head.

"How about everything I believe in?" Ginny snorted.

She could not stand prissy, elite organizations like the Mulieres Viginti Octo, better known as the MVO. Made up of female descendants of families deemed as the "Sacred Twenty Eight", all of the women were from old Wizarding families of pureblood status. Along with that status usually came wealth, greed, and shaky values. While they were an organization that prided itself on its pureblood status, they also spent much of their time organizing charitable events for the good of the Wizarding kind. In Ginny's eyes, it was a bunch of old biddies that had too much time on their hands who enjoyed superficialities like this.

"As if any of them knew _real_ work," She huffed, rolling over to get up. That shining heap of gold sounded better and better to Ginny. It's not like there was much to do. Spend her time attending useless sessions that taught her the ins and outs about which fork to use and how to do a proper curtsy? Easy. After learning endless medical properties of herbs, magical creatures, and more, that was a laughable challenge. Wear a pretty dress and dance around for a night? Even easier. She was so used to wearing her Apprentice Healer robes and casual clothes that that seemed almost fun. Dance with some of Wizard's elite and admittedly, some good looking fellows? Easiest. She hated to admit it, but during her breaks at the hospital she scoured a society page or two. Some of those blokes were not hard on the eyes. And when was the last time Ginny had had a date? She could not even remember.

She looked at the parchment in her hand, the dashes blinking, waiting for her wavy signature. The idea sounded better and better to her the more she thought about it. The way she saw it, she was getting a nice vacation and reprieve before she had to go back to the real world.

Getting up before she could talk herself out of it, she took a quill from her desk and quickly scrawled her name on the dotted line. Sending off the family owl with her decision, she made her way to her parents' room.

Slowly, she opened the door and cleared her throat. Her parents were in bed, Arthur setting down the newspaper in his hands, Molly putting down her glasses and the novel in hand.

Ginny fidgeted around uncomfortably in the doorway and cleared her throat. "I have decided to take Grandmother Weasley's offer," she said quietly. "However," she raised her finger and her voice. "This in no way means I am throwing my morals and values away for this money. I am merely considering this as an investment in my future… A future in which I will be helping people. So really, I'm doing everything for the ultimate good. Please let the record show for future reference."

With that, she quickly shuffled out of the door before her parents could get in a word.

* * *

><p>And that was how Ginny Weasley found herself heading towards Malfoy Manor on a lovely day. She groaned. What<em> did I sign myself up for? <em>Ginny couldn't help but wonder as the carriage passed through imperial iron-wrought white gates. The carriage seamlessly seeped through the entrance. Green hedges trailed along both sides of the gravel pathway. She couldn't help but marvel at the smattering of white peacocks that were strolling along the front lawn.

Malfoy Manor was an exquisite manor house that took Ginny's breath away despite whatever bad mood she was in. The Elizabethan era manor shone brightly in all its glory, the diamond-paned windows reflecting the sunshine. The front part of the estate was decorated with intricate garden sculptures and flowerbeds.

The carriage abruptly came to a halt. The door to her car opened, and she let out a weary sigh. It was too late to turn back now. Ginny slowly stepped out of the carriage, the sun blinding her eyes. Her trunk and other belongings was being levitated by House Elves that had appeared out of thin air. The expansive Manor double doors were opened wide for all those permitted. She could faintly hear the sound of water flowing, from the magnificent fountain that was in their foyer.

With a deep breath and a determined glint in her eyes, Ginny Weasley made her first steps into the throes of pureblood society.


	2. Introductions

**DISCLAIMER: **Wow, I don't know how I missed that this wasn't here before. As always anything that looks like is not mine, definitely is not! Belongs to JKR and all those affiliated with HP. The bet scene is most definitely from _She's All That_, a very cheesy '90s chick flick. Please don't come at me bros for lawsuits!

**two. introductions.**

Her eyes adjusted to the indoors and took in a magnificently stone carved fountain right in the center of the entrance hall. As Ginny looked up she could see a couple of stories above, her mind dizzying by the maze of staircases and windows. A house elf motioned to make a turn towards a darker corridor, only illuminated by the candles lining the wall. The walls were adorned with many portraits, presumably Malfoy ancestors, Ginny assumed, judging by their pale faces and the way they upturned their noses at the sight of her red hair. She sighed. Even Malfoy paintings had a hatred for her. Finally, she reached the bronze handled door that magically swung open.

There were around thirty young wizards and witches scattered about what was the Malfoy drawing room. It was ornate with its lavish decorations hanging on the dark purple walls. The bright light from the windows only served to highlight these embellishments. All of the furniture had been removed as it served as a room of entertaining for the Manors temporary tenants. Ginny grabbed a goblet of pumpkin juice the house elves were circulating through the crowd. She glanced around, recognizing only a couple of faces throughout the gathering. She had seen former Hogwarts students such as Fay Dunbar and Theodore Nott, but many were complete strangers to her. As much as she tried to avoid finding him, her eyes eventually fell upon the blond crown of Draco Malfoy. She groaned. Ginny decided that it would be best to avoid Malfoy like the plague. She wanted to get through this situation as smoothly as possible and in one piece. Besides, she didn't think it was the wisest idea to hex the living daylights out of her future teacher's son.

Ginny had a begrudging respect for Narcissa Malfoy, who had helped save Harry's life during the final moments of the Battle of Hogwarts with Lord Voldemort. She understood full well the lengths the woman would go to to save her loved ones, even if her loved one was in the form of an insufferable git known as Draco Malfoy. In fact, the Malfoy family's reputation within the community had taken a turn for the more positive after the war. Though some wizards truly doubted their allegiance, many had come to terms with the fact that the family was acting just as many others had done - to save the ones that they loved at any cost. Furthermore, the Malfoys had contributed greatly to repairing Hogwarts, assisting the Ministry in the rounding up of Death Eaters post-war, and donating their time and money to various charities. Unfortunately for them, Lucius Malfoy was killed in a revenge killing after the war, but the family continued to stride on.

Just as Ginny finished the last of the contents in her goblet, Mrs. Malfoy began to make her way to the head of the crowd, standing before the handsome, baroque marble mantelpiece. She watched the tall, slim woman seamlessly glide through the younger witches and wizards. Narcissa was a very beautiful witch, acquiring her family's good looks, with her blonde hair pulled back and her blue eyes looking stern. Rather than the haughty expression many had become accustomed to seeing on Mrs. Malfoy's face, she had a more calm expression but one that still commanded attention. She tapped her wand against the mantelpiece to capture the attention of the crowd in front of her, murmuring, "_Sonorus_."

"Welcome, all of you, to the Etiquette Conservatory of the Mulieres Viginti Octo, or more affectionately known as Charm School. Here we aim to refine and polish the manners and etiquette of future generations of our esteemed community. My name is Narcissa Malfoy, and I am this year's Head of the Conservatory. It will be my duty to equip all of you with the proper training to successfully get through the Debutante Ball, your introduction to society. You may address me as Madame Malfoy. Now, before we get into the rules and regulations of the school, I will be conducting an initial inspection of each one of you," Narcissa paused, as a murmur of uncertainty went through the crowd. _An inspection? _Ginny wondered, rolling her eyes. This association took itself much too seriously.

"I will have you all separate into two groups, men and women," Narcissa indicated with her wand in two directions. Once the crowd had separated according to gender, she continued. "My assistant, Kendra Lamorak," she indicated to the woman to the left of her, armed with a clipboard and quill, "will be leading the men out of the drawing room. Please follow her directions in a kindly manner." Kendra motioned for the wizards to make their way out of the drawing room, leaving the women with Narcissa.

Narcissa walked towards the witches and quickly lined up young women into a single line, shoulder to shoulder. Ginny groaned inwardly as she was shuffled to the very end. She mentally cursed her last name for forcing her to be the last one to deal with Narcissa. One by one, Narcissa made her way to each individual, giving them a lengthy examination. Everything was scrutinized, from physical appearance to dress to posture. Narcissa's trusty sidekick Kendra eagerly wrote down everything her boss verbalized. There were many disapproving clicks of the tongue and chides heard throughout the painstaking process. She tried tune out the stress-inducing process happening further down the line as the rest of the room was in complete silence. Ginny was snapped out of her reverie when she heard Narcissa's sophisticated accent call out, "Weasley, Ginevra."

Ginny swallowed hard as Narcissa's cool blue stare gazed down at her. She braced herself for what was to come, and come it did. Nearly everything about Ginny offended the older woman. From Ginny's poor posture down to the extra piercing in her right ear was met with scrutiny. When they made notes about her clothes, she subconsciously smoothed out the non-existent creases in her dress and stood properly in her heels. She had worn the classiest black dress she had, a hand me down from Fleur. It was a couple of years old but who would know the difference? Apparently Narcissa Malfoy, who disapproved of its dated look and her matronly kitten heels.

"Her nails are satisfactory and clean but her cuticles are horrid," Narcissa shook her head at Kendra, who scribbled furiously onto her clipboard. Ginny quickly pulled back her hand from the older woman's, trying not to snatch it back so obviously.

"Miss Weasley's red hair is a rather garish shade, which is unfortunate as it is of good quality, but we can most likely dye it when the time comes," Narcissa noted. _Over my dead body, _Ginny thought angrily. Even if she herself got frustrated by her red hair, it was _her_ hair! It was a Weasley trademark and she wore it with pride.

"The freckles on her face can always be fixed by Glamour Charms. I do hope they only stop at her face," Narcissa sighed. _I'm bespeckled all over, woman._ "Miss Weasley's stature is not the most sought after but her petite frame may be desirable by some individuals," Narcissa paused as she looked over Ginny's face. "Her face is acceptable and has potential to be enhanced."

At this comment, Ginny lost it.

"Mrs. Malfoy," Ginny seethed as she crossed her arms across her chest. "I would appreciate not being reduced to being examined like a piece of livestock being put up for auction."

A wave of snickers echoed throughout the room. Instead of responding to her student, Narcissa merely turned to Kendra and dictated with a sneer, "Pedigree _is_ pure blooded despite questionable family line. The name Weasley does not retain a high status within our circles."

"Well Mrs. Malfoy, not only am I a Weasley, I also have some Prewett in me, a family that has not been oh so disgraced by your 'circles'. Furthermore, I need not remind you that I also descend from the highly esteemed House of Black through my grandmother," Ginny retorted with satisfaction.

A tense wave of silence washed over the room. Narcissa stared long and hard at her, with a cool but mysterious glint in her eye, lips thin. Ginny couldn't discern what the woman was thinking. She remained steadfast in holding a strong and determined glare at her teacher, although she showed signs of breaking such as the involuntary gulp she took. After some moments, Mrs. Malfoy broke her gaze and walked away, conjuring a clipboard and writing down her own personal notes.

_Great, I've bollocksed up my chance here and am going to get kicked out._ Ginny sighed wearily. She could kiss her quaint flat near Wizarding London good-bye. And she had just settled on the loveliest shade of blue for the walls.

Narcissa returned back to her place at the mantelpiece and re-addressed the group. "Miss Lamorak will now give out your housing assignments." Kendra started to make her way down the line handing small slips of parchment to each woman. "The women will be housed in one wing of the second floor with the men housed separately in a separate wing. Please make your way up and get acquainted with your roommate. Your belongings have already been sorted and brought up to the rooms."

Escorted by yet another house elf, Ginny walked into the large, expansive room that would be hers for the rest of the summer. She glanced around at her quarters: two king size beds comfortably aligned in the large but cozy room, there was two desks and dressers, as well as a communal sitting area. The room was absolutely lovely with the bright light coming in from the large window. At least even if she had to suffer, she would be comfortable while doing so. Ginny walked out onto the balcony and closed her eyes, pinching her nose. She let out a deep, long sigh.

"Well that was revolting and demeaning, wasn't it?" a voice called out from behind her with a chuckle. She turned around to see one of the girls she had seen during the inspection in the doorway of the room.

"I'm Lena, Lena Shafiq. I guess we're rooming together," she said, stepping in, setting her cloak down. Lena had large, friendly almond-shaped eyes and some of the most beautiful brunette hair Ginny had ever seen. It was such a dark brown that it looked almost black. Her thick mane wafted down in cascading waves down to the middle of her back. Her high cheekbones and elegant features were only highlighted by her olive skin. She was a bit taller than Ginny, and had graceful curves many of the other girls would kill for. In short, she was gorgeous.

At this point, both girls had made their way towards the sitting area of the room.

"I'm Ginny," the red-head said with a sheepish smile. "I'm glad I didn't get one of those cows out there we just encountered."

Lena laughed. "Tell me about it. This whole charade is kind of ridiculous."

"Say, you have a bit of a French accent. My sister-in-law is French as well. Did you happen to attend Beauxbatons?"

As they got to talking, Ginny learned that Lena was indeed a student of Beauxbatons. Though her family had Egyptian roots, her grandparents had decided to move to Wizarding Britain when many of their businesses were doing well overseas. Lena grew up in London as a child, but her parents had opted to send her to France to get a more well-rounded experience.

"I guess they like to think the French are more cultured and what not," Lena said with a wry smile. "However, when I came back to London town after being transferred from my potioneer job at L'apothicaire de Domnin, my parents wanted me to get re-acclimated into the local social circles here. I fought them off for a bit, but eventually conceded. I just figured it would be a good way to meet some of my peers, but this is definitely not my cup of tea."

Ginny let out a sigh of relief. "Thank Merlin! I swear I thought I was the only one here who thinks this whole thing is asinine. I'm only doing so to appease my late grandmother's wishes." _And Galleons_, her conscious reminded her. She quickly pushed that thought aside.

A gong sounded, signaling the students to return back to the drawing room. As they made their way down, the fell into an easy conversation. Ginny felt a bit better knowing there was at least one normal human amongst these strange society creatures.

Narcissa had left the students to their own devices and let them mingle prior to dinner. It was a sort of cocktail hour, she surmised, although the alcohol was unfortunately missing. Ginny and Lena stuck to each other as they discussed the rest of the group they would be with during the summer. Naturally, the conversation turned to the prospects of men and the pickings were slim.

"Wow, there are very few… attractive guys here," Lena remarked, scrunching her nose.

"Well half of them are practically inbred," Ginny shuddered.

They continued to glance around until Lena nearly purred, "Well, well, well, what do we have over there? Those blokes aren't so bad."

Ginny grimaced when she saw who Lena was gesturing to. Figures it would be Draco Malfoy and his motley crew.

"Two out of three are rather lovely," Ginny agreed. She gave the trio a look over. There was Blaise Zabini, who looked just as handsome as ever with his tall frame. His pleasant features were pulled into a smirk as he was animatedly speaking to his friends. The third man of the group, she didn't recognize, was as tall as the others, but had a rather stocky frame. He looked more rugged than the other two, with sandy brown hair and friendly brown eyes.

"Come on, Ginny, you'd have to be blind not to think Draco Malfoy is attractive," Lena protested. Ginny said nothing but reluctantly agreed silently. Time had served Draco well, and as insufferable as he was, she had to admit it. His platinum hair was effortlessly coiffed back and to the side but still looked soft, as opposed to the slicked back hairdo he used to sport in his earlier years. His pallor, although light as ever, looked healthier than she had seen it in the past when it was lacking luster. His gray eyes were welcoming for once as he chatted with his friends. She noticed that he had filled out his tall, slender frame and still had the nice athletic build of a Seeker. His shoulders were broad and torso long. What was most alarming was the fact that Draco Malfoy's good looks were only amplified when he was laughing and smiling, as he was with his friends. She had never seen a pleasant expression on Malfoy's face and it suited him well. All in all, Ginny grudgingly decided that Malfoy was not ugly, that is, if one went for sharp and pointed features like his.

"I usually go for the tall, dark, and handsome. Not the tall, pasty, and cocky," Ginny commented, taking a long sip of her pumpkin juice. Lena merely snickered at the girl's delayed response.

They continued to giggle over Blaise and the other unnamed man from a distance. However, Ginny's Gryffindor bravery had vanished when Lena tried to drag her over to mingle with the men.

"Come on, Ginny! Let's at least go say hullo!" Lena grabbed Ginny's hand and started pulling her over towards them, despite Ginny's protests. She was about to enter the snake pit and the fierce lioness that normally pervaded from within had shrunken to a bumbling cub.

* * *

><p>"Honestly, Draco, you need to get over Bridget. It's been over a month now and you're still pining for the ungrateful bint," Blaise told his best mate.<p>

"Bugger off, Blaise," Draco scowled. "Besides, I've already moved on. On to Althea, and Isabelle, and…"

"Yup," Blaise smirked. "Totally unaffected."

A month ago, Bridget Latimer, Draco Malfoy's longtime girlfriend, abruptly broke up with him. She had just returned from a spring trip to the Bavarian Alps, and apparently had gotten very cozy with some German ponce. And the ponce decided to follow Bridget back to England, and she happily dumped Draco at the last charity event they had gone to. She walked away into the shining sunset with her thick-headed new man who likened himself to Thor. For all of his muscle and girth, he seemed incredibly slow.

In Draco's mind, he and Bridget were the perfect couple in image and on parchment. They both had aristocratic good looks, honorable lineage, and a vast amount of wealth and connections. He had imagined that they would be together forever. It had come to him as a shock when she decided to run off with that oaf; what did that guy have that Draco didn't? _Nothing, that's what. _

"Who the hell does she think she is, anyway?" Draco seethed. "There are plenty of girls out there, and l can shag the living daylights out of every one of them. Bridget Latimer is totally replaceable."

"Spare me the lecture about replaceable, because we're talking about Bridget Latimer here," the third man in their group, Maxwell Fawley, replied.

"Sorry, mate. He's right," Blaise agreed.

Maxwell scoffed, "Of course l'm right." He took a gulp of his pumpkin juice. "l mean, the girl's an institution in our society. Every woman wants to be her, and every guy wants to bang her."

Draco would never admit it but Maxwell was right. Bridget was tall, with flowing blonde hair, and a body that all of the other girls envied and tried to emulate. Her hazel eyes sparkled with mischief as she would make the rounds at parties, basking in all of the glory that was bestowed upon her. She set many of the trends in their social circles, and was the image of the perfect trophy wife.

Blaise added, "Basically, she's you... with knockers."

"Don't be daft," Draco countered. "The Bridget Latimer you just described is an illusion, a myth. You strip away all of that attitude and beauty charms, and all you have is a social climbing witch with an expansive wardrobe."

Maxwell rolled his eyes. "Give it up, Draco."

Draco's eyes searched throughout the room until he locked in on one figure. "Take, uh... Take her, for example," he pointed at a young witch in a lavender dress. "She's short, has a decent rack, and has a bit of that librarian look about her. But given the right clothes, the right boyfriend, and voila! In eight weeks, she'll be Belle of the Ball." Though there were no official titles given out during the Debutante Ball, the society pages had named one girl out of the lot as the "Belle of the Ball" for many years. She was the girl that had captured the attention of the most men that night and charmed all that she came across. It was considered an honor to be recognized as such, and a strong indicator that she was perfect wife material, inside and out.

"You're not actually serious, are you?" Maxwell looked at Draco quizzically, wondering where he could take this.

"As dragon pox."

"You're evidently delusional," Maxwell cried, incredulously. Shifting gears, he pondered a moment. Knitting his eyebrows, he said, "But, how about a chance to prove me wrong?"

"Blimey! Hold on," Blaise interjected, getting between the two men. "Max, Max, Max. The bloke's clearly mental right now. You're taking advantage of a friend in a very vulnerable state."

Draco batted his eyelashes and said sarcastically, "My, my, my. I didn't know you cared in that way, Zabini." Blaise gestured rudely to him.

"I'm being serious here. The bloke thinks he could do anything. Let him prove it. What do you say, Malfoy?" Maxwell taunted.

"A wager?" Draco asked, with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes," said Maxwell. "Unless, of course, you're too heartbroken."

Somewhere in the back of his mind, his brain was telling him not to do this. Max always came up with the stupidest bets and pranks, which usually ended up being more trouble than they were worth. But life had gotten even duller since Bridget left. It was the same thing over and over again: meet with the Board of the Malfoy Estate, go to dull charity balls and society galas, interact with attractive and vapid tarts, and so on. It had become so predictable, and he still hadn't found a direction of his own. Sure there was the Estate to maintain, but Draco also wanted to pursue a career. Although a career in what, he didn't know. He barely had the time to think about those things during his school days, and then after the war he had become the head of the house prematurely. It left Draco once again, with no clear direction in his life.

He had eventually come to terms that he wasn't even all that angry that Bridget had broken up with him. It was actually a relief when he reflected later. The relationship had become routine and stale; there was a small spark between them to begin with and what little was there had fizzled out. There was something missing though he didn't know what. He was angrier at the fact that anyone could reject _him._ How dare she have the nerve to do that! He was supposed to break it off with her, not the other way around. His anger brought about a lack of clarity, and that was what happened when he decided to say, "Just name the bloody terms," spat Draco, taking a big swig of his beverage.

"All right, it's simple," Maxwell explained. "I'll pick the bird, and you have eight weeks to turn her into the Belle."

Maxwell rubbed his hands feverishly, eager to get started. "All right. Let's go shopping." He laughed. "Oh, gods, this is going to be amazing."

The three men began to scan the room for potential victims. Blaise gestured at a girl near one of the expansive windows. "What about her?"

"Blaise, she's a straight minger!" Maxwell said in a scandalized tone.

The unfortunate girl looked like she was about to have an anxiety attack. She was squeaking erratically and hyperventilating. Her face was blotchy from being flushed, which only exacerbated her unfavorable features. The only thing that was keeping her together was a consoling friend, who looked a bit frazzled herself.

"You sure?" asked Blaise.

Maxwell asserted, "We can do better than her."

"And, let's be realistic," Draco cut in. "I need to live in this town. Plain, I can fix. I can't fix what's hereditary." He shuddered at the thought of the unattractive girl's hands on him.

Draco turned around and said, "What about her?"

He pointed to a tall woman with a brunette bob.

"Rectal archaeology. Very nice." Blaise nodded approvingly.

They continued circling the room for a bit longer when in the distance Maxwell heard, "No, Lena! I am not going to go over there! You'll only catch me next to Malfoy when all hell freezes over!" Maxwell whirled around to a woman trying to push a stubborn looking red-head in front of her, towards their direction. Unfortunately for the other woman, the red-head was vehemently not budging from her spot.

Maxwell's lips curled into a mischievous smile. "Gentlemen, we have a winner," he directed the other two with his head.

Draco's eyes widened and he nearly choked on his drink. Surely his mate couldn't be that barmy! "What, Ginny Weasley!? This is where I draw the line, Fawley!"

"Hey, a bet's a bet. Right, Blaise?" Maxwell nudged Blaise for assistance.

Blaise laughed and put his hands up as a sign of surrender. "This is between you guys."

Draco exhaled heavily. "Look, fat l can handle. Wonky breasts, bad personality, maybe some sort of fungus. Ill-mannered and being completely inaccessible is another story. Furthermore, her lot has practically been disowned; I honestly don't know what Mother was thinking letting the likes of her into the Conservatory. This society is beginning to go to the dogs."

"Well, she _is_ a pure-blood, like it or not," Blaise pointed out. _Thanks for stating the obvious, Zabini._ Draco snorted.

"Hey, mate, if l were you, l wouldn't be wasting my time," said Maxwell, "because according to my calculations you have eight weeks until the Ball. And if Ginny Weasley is going to be the Belle, l'd say you have got your work cut out for you. You better put that Malfoy charm on full blast."

"Look on the bright side mate, she's quite fit... even after all these years," Blaise commented, trying to improve the outlook of the situation.

Draco looked wearily at the insane witch that was surprisingly making her way towards them. He supposed Blaise _was_ right, but he always had a strange soft spot for the Gryffindor. Ginny was one of the prettier girls in their school, and captured the attention of many blokes in their later years. I seemed over time she had matured into a lovely woman. She had ample breasts, pleasing hips and a great bum to boot, but that dress she was wearing was not doing her any favors. Her hair wasn't as vomit-inducing like that brash orange the men in her family seemed to inherit, rather it had intense of hues of reds. It wasn't what he liked, but he supposed it was alright; it seemed soft, at least. Ginny wasn't as spotted as that ugly buffoon that was her brother, though she still had a sprinkle of freckles on her cheeks and trailed down her neck, disappearing underneath her collar. _I wonder if the trail continues, _Draco idly wondered. _Snap out of it, Malfoy! _

Unfortunately, the two witches had finally made their way across the room to the wizard. Draco sighed inwardly. He had to do his best to charm the knickers off the Weaslette, as much as the thought made him ill. There was no way Draco Malfoy was losing a bet; he had his honor to uphold after all.

"Hullo," the brown haired girl said brightly. "My name is Lena Shafiq," She shook hands with each of the men, and the shook it, exchanging pleasantries. Blaise, on the other hand, took her hand and kissed the back of it.

"Enchanted," Blaise drawled. Lena's cheeks flushed but her eyes were twinkling back into his. _Oh brother, he's already laying it on thick. _

Meanwhile, a sullen Ginny hung back, hesitant to make any moves. Maxwell nudged Draco to make a move, but he didn't budge either. His friend rolled his eyes and instead offered a hand to the youngest Weasley.

"I apologize on behalf of my insolent friend," Maxwell indicated with a nod of the head to Draco. "I'm Maxwell Fawley. You can call me Max, if you'd like," he gave her a rogueish smile.

"No need to apologize on behalf of Malfoy, Max," Ginny replied, sweetly. "I see he's just as rude as he was back in our Hogwarts days. Rather ironic as well, considering his mother is apparently the supreme authority on manners." She gave him a dirty look.

"You must be used to it Weasley, what with that riff-raff you call your family," Draco sneered. "It must have rubbed off on you after all these years. No wonder you need to be taught etiquette – you never have had any!" _So much for charming her._ He didn't care right now. Who was she to talk to him like this? No one, that's who. Bets be damned.

Ginny gave him an icy glare that eerily reminded him of his mother's own withering stares. He tried to keep his composure, unwilling to give in. "Still the pompous, arrogant, self-centered slimy prat, eh, Malfoy? You've become so predictable." Ginny turned on her heel and devoted all of her attention to Maxwell and Blaise, effectively shutting Draco out of the conversation.

Luckily for him, he was saved by the meal bell, indicating that it was time for dinner. The group parted ways, and Draco made sure that he sat far, far away from Ginny Weasley. Instead, he focused his attention on talking about last week's Quidditch match and other current events. The overwhelming situation went on the backburner as he enjoyed his potatoes and roast beef.

* * *

><p>Dinner went on peacefully as the students ate merrily. Ginny welcomed the distraction, suddenly realizing just how hungry she was. While Ginny and Lena discussed their predictions for the school, Ginny couldn't help but notice that several of the girls kept sending her dirty looks. Some were whispering and gesticulating in their direction. She stood firm, refusing to give into the animosity.<p>

Soon enough, the class filed back into the drawing room for final comments by Mrs. Malfoy. Ginny sighed. She was tired after this long, exhausting day of being around people she didn't like, and lessons hadn't even commenced yet.

Narcissa brushed past Ginny as she made her way through the crowd back to her spot in front of the mantelpiece. Amplifying her voice with her wand, she began, "This will be a dry institution for the most part." A panic of murmurs ran through the crowd. _I have to get through two months of this without the opportunity to be completely sloshed?! _At least she wasn't alone in her misery. Some of the wizards were giving each other looks of horror. Narcissa rolled her eyes and rapped her wand on the mantelpiece, calling the crowd back to attention.

"Yes, Mr. Nott, please pick up your mouth from the ground. You will not be inebriated through the duration of this program." Narcissa elaborated. "I will not have any of your minds clouded with spirits. Everyone must be on their toes and simply do their best. There will be occasions where alcohol will be served-" a few sigh of reliefs wavered through the students "-and in those instances it is permitted but otherwise cherish those last drops of wine you had at dinner."

Narcissa continued, "Which brings me to my next point, everyone has a curfew; there will be no 1 A.M. pub crawls on random nights when you are in this program or fraternizing with one another, if you catch my drift. We are here to hone all of your social skills in every aspect of your lives. We are here to promote good and proper marriages in order to continue to foster a successful group of witches and wizards that will be the leaders of your generation. We are here to preserve our kind. Mulieres Viginte Octo is committed to safeguarding the prosperity of the future."

Mrs. Malfoy switched gears. "After much deliberation, we have come up with the partners for your duration in the Conservatory. You two will be working together in many instances to practice your etiquette." Kendra eagerly handed her the clipboard, pushing her glasses back from the bridge of her nose. "Please come to the front when your name is called." Looking down at the clipboard, she began to go down the list.

Ginny's attention faded in and out as she waited for her name to come up. She cautiously hoped she would end up with Maxwell. He seemed friendly and his rugged looks didn't hurt either. That Scottish accent was also endearing. As if Narcissa had read her mind, Ginny heard, "Daphne Greengrass and Maxwell Fawley."

"Damnit," Ginny muttered. She was doomed to not enjoy herself, she had decided.

"…Lena Shafiq and Blaise Zabini," Narcissa called.

Ginny turned to see the eager face of Lena looking back at her. She was happy for her new friend. It was clearly evident that there was a spark between the two and that it was mutual. Although there was a small pang of disappointment that she wouldn't be able to be comforted by Blaise's smooth moves, she was still happy nonetheless. _At least one of us will be having fun._

"And finally, Ginevra Weasley and Draco Malfoy."

Her stomach dropped. _Definitely doomed. _There were some snickers as the final partnership was called out. Ginny gapped, standing frozen in shock. Why on earth would Narcissa pair her up with her son? She surely knew of the intense Malfoy-Weasley rivalry that had only intensified over the years while she was at Hogwarts. The woman was off her rocker and Ginny intended to tell her just that, respectful or not.

After a few moments she had recovered from the temporary paralysis that had her feet glued to the lavish carpet, and she started making her way. She couldn't help but notice that several of the girls threw her dark looks. "If you want him so much, you take him!" She hissed at one of the onlookers.

She was cut off on her warpath to Narcissa when the man of the hour decided to bless her with his presence, looking cool and collected. Why wasn't he just as infuriated as her? If it was possible, he disliked her more than she disliked him. She crossed her arms and jeered, "I had to be paired with you. You'd be the last person on this planet if i could choose..."

Draco's eyes narrowed at the scorn in her voice. "Honestly Weasel, when will you realize you have no say in your life? You were born a Weasley, You were given those ridiculous freckles, that red hair, and you're poor. You have no say in anything."

"You really think that?" Ginny challenged, only to be answered with a smirk and a nod. "Well, I still have the ability to choose my actions." She raised her leg and stomped on Draco's foot, giving him a satisfactory grin as he cried out in pain. Whirling around, she waded through the couples and found Mrs. Malfoy.

Malfoy was like the fly that would not leave no matter how much she swatted at it. Limping behind, she heard him mutter, "Stupid girl, I think you scuffed my shoe! This is the finest Italian leather!"

Mrs. Malfoy saw the livid woman and limping son in her line of vision and excused herself from her conversation and turned to face the duo. "And what can I help you two with?" She asked carefully.

"Please, Mrs. Malfoy…" Ginny began.

"Madame," Narcissa corrected.

"_Madame _Malfoy," Ginny gritted her teeth, Draco rolled his eyes. "Please, you can't have us paired together. I'm sure you're aware of our… colorful history from Hogwarts."

"Do not question my judgment, Miss Weasley," Narcissa countered with finality. She walked away from the unlikely twosome, shutting down any room for further discussion.

Ginny gaped at the audacity of Narcissa. There was always room for discussion! She turned to see Draco smirking.

Her eyes narrowed and pointed at him, poking him in the chest. "You put your mother up to this, didn't you? You just wanted to make me miserable!" Ginny cried.

"Please Ginny, you give yourself far too much importance in my life," Malfoy replied, brushing off imaginary dirt from the spot where she kept poking him. "Do you really think I spend my days writing silly ideas in a diary all day? Oh wait, that's you."

"That's low, even for you!" Ginny cried, whipping out her wand. Manners be damned. She was going to hex Draco Malfoy into next Tuesday, and she was going to do it right now, right here. Eventually the small, logical side of herself took control and calmed her down. "…Eight… Nine… Ten," Ginny murmured, returning her wand to her pocket. Draco, who had braced himself in defense with his own wand, eventually lowered his as well, attempted to recollect himself back into his cool demeanor, waving a hand through his hair.

Stubborn as ever, Ginny tried to plead with Narcissa one last time. She found her again with Daphne and Maxwell, waiting patiently until they were done.

"Please Madame Malfoy, this will be disastrous for your son, for your Conservatory, and for your house," she implored, her eyes looking pleadingly at the older woman. Her big eyes usually worked on everyone.

Except Narcissa, that is. "I have my reasons, Ginevra, so please heed my instructions well."

To Ginny's surprise, Draco stepped in as well to support her cause. "Mother, you know about our… tumultuous past. This won't bode well for the papers or the reputation of the organization."

Narcissa gave her son a smirk that rivaled his own. "Those very papers are why you two are being paired together. A woman of Miss Weasley's standing in today's society will only improve your reputation with the general public," She then gave a stern look to the both of them. "Now, this is the end of this discussion, and I will not have either of you trying to question my authority again. You are all dismissed for the night so be sure to get a good night's rest."

As Mrs. Malfoy walked away leaving a glowering Malfoy, Ginny laughed at him, relishing in the realization that she had the upper-hand in the situation. "Why so sad, Malfoy? Evidently _you_ need me. Even your mother said it. I'll do my best, but even I cannot mend such a deep wound. It's more like an internal bleed."

"Please, I don't need your help," Draco scoffed, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Yes, you do," a new voice replied from behind him. Ginny turned to see Daphne Greengrass, another former Slytherin. Ginny remembered the blonde woman from Pansy Parkinson's gang of girls that were incredibly cruel to many of her friends and housemates.

"Besides, Draco, we all know that Weasley here is a charity case, Your mother is such a giving witch to have taken the time to do this for her," her voice dripping with malice as she placed a manicured hand on Draco's shoulder.

"Greengrass, you really do not want a piece of me right now," Ginny warned.

Daphne scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"I have passed all of my N.E.W.T.s with flying colors and I was able to bypass a year of Healer School. I'm the first witch or wizard in almost thirty years to do this!"

"Like that matters," Daphne responded, rolling her eyes and moved closer to Ginny. "You weren't bred with this. Consider yourself honored to be with Draco Malfoy," she gave her a dirty look, demonstrating how unworthy Ginny was to be in his presence. Daphne patted Draco on the shoulder as a sign of sympathy before swaying away.

Draco sniggered at Daphne's words of advice. "She's right, you know. You should be honored to be paired with me. "

"Shove it, Ferret face," she muttered, turning to make her way to the staircase.

Draco quickened his stride behind her, catching up easily with his long legs. His footsteps fell into place with hers, and he said, "Look, I can help you survive this whole ordeal, like it or not."

Ginny whirled around accusingly. "You have some insane Slytherin motive, don't you?"

He chuckled, making his way up the stairs. "You have clearly spent too much time around Mad Eye Moody, Weaselette."

They reached the top of the case, and Draco audibly sighed as he made his way to the right to the men's quarters. "I cannot believe I have to share a room. My mother is insane. She is taking this school thing too much to heart."

Ginny rolled her eyes. Did he know how petty he sounded? "Come off it. One of these rooms could fit the whole Burrow's floor plan."

Draco blankly looked back at her.

"Oh, you're not even going to try to be humble?" She asked, with her hands on her hips. Malfoy sure had some nerve.

"Why… you're stating the facts. Why should I lie?" He asked logically, with a raised eyebrow.

Ginny threw her hands up in the air in defeat and huffed, "You're unbearable!" She turned without so much as a farewell, retreating to her quarters.

**A/N:** I hope you guys enjoyed that! I know there were a lot of introductions and explanations, but I had to set up the premise. It's such a challenge writing dialogue that sounds witty! Also, to the reviewer who pointed out the conversion of Galleons, I had used the Lexicon's calculator when I made that estimation, and went back and went through at least four different calculators and also calculated it myself. I got different results, so I'm going to go with the ones that gave me about $7,500 (U.S.). I didn't want Ginny to get so much money that she'd get super rich, but just enough to give her a kickstart! Hope that clears it up. Also, did my best to Brit-pick and grammar/spell check. **Please, please leave a review** on your way out, it makes my week!


	3. Lessons

**DISCLAIMER: I pretty much don't own anything here; J.K. Rowling does - and George R.R. Martin for one reference I made! **

**A/N:** WOW. Ok... It's been AWHILE since I updated this! I have a good reason though - I had a heart transplant (exactly) 4 months ago, so I've been recovering from that! And before that... I was obviously sick.. so yeah. My goal is to get back on track and finish this story! Sorry if this chapter may not be up to par with the others - I've been staring at it for days, but I have to move beyond this chapter to get through the rest!

* * *

><p><strong>three. lessons.<strong>

For all of the complaints Ginny had about the circumstances at the Manor, she could not complain about the luxurious bed she was given to sleep in. She wasn't sure if it was because she was so exhausted from yesterday's ordeal or if the bed proved to be so comfortable that she had fallen asleep so quickly. The morning gong had gone off, signaling that there were forty five minutes until breakfast would be on the table.

"I could get used to these delicious meals, I have to admit," Ginny greeted her roommate who had just returned from the bathroom. The red-head extended her arms above her head, yawning and stretching.

"Agreed! It beats my shoddy attempts to make a meal any day," Lena replied as she got out her morning clothes. "I regret not taking homemaking classes at Beauxbatons. I couldn't be arsed about it then, thinking I wouldn't need any of those types of skills… Apparently I forgot I should have learned to take care of myself at the very least!"

"Rather a strange twist of fate that a potioneer can't combine ingredients to make something nontoxic," Ginny commented, giggling.

Lena sighed as she pulled her top over her head, "Irony at its finest. I am rather well-versed in numerous types of poisons and innocuous concoctions, however."

Following her friend's example, Ginny went over to the wardrobe to pull together something presentable to wear. Yesterday's outfit was not very well received by Narcissa and she wanted to rectify that. The only problem was that she had such few clothes that were presentable. Aside from the couple of weddings and Ministry functions, Ginny didn't really buy elaborate outfits. She was saved by the lime green robes that were a part of a Healer's uniform for most of her days. The incredibly expansive wardrobe only proved that point. It felt almost barren with her few garments carefully hung up. She was sure she could reach all the way to the back of an alternate universe. Picking out a fresh blouse and skirt, Ginny brushed her hair into a simple bun. She was going to start off the morning right, even if today was going to be a challenge.

When she got down to the long breakfast table, she felt so plain in comparison to the other witches' wardrobes. Ginny couldn't help but pitifully sigh at the sight of the other girls' clothes. Though her clothes were tastefully appropriate, they couldn't compare to the expensive brands and styles the others had. Any of her other dresses would have been too "low cut" or "racy" like her Aunt Muriel would chastise.

Ginny and Lena occupied a seemingly shunned expanse of the long dining table. Many of the girls kept giving Ginny (and Lena by mere association) unsatisfactory glances throughout their meal. She couldn't help but roll her eyes. Surely the group had gotten over her seemingly extraordinary presence in the Conservatory?

In between bites of her bangers and mash, Ginny muttered, "I feel like I'm back in Hogwarts or something. These buzzing bees can't seem to quiet down."

Lena shot the current offenders a dirty look and ushered Ginny to wave them off. "Forget them, Gin. It's evidently too much for their tiny brains to process..." With a growl, Lena added to an outraged pudgy girl, "Yes, I'm looking at you, you cow! Focus on your own damn breakfast!"

Ginny sighed discontentedly as she forced herself to finish her breakfast. Lunch would not be for a while, and she really needed to keep her strength up if she was to deal with Narcissa's wrath, the catty girls' attitude, and Draco Malfoy. She shot a customary haughty glance in the direction of Draco.

Once again, he was laughing and enjoying himself a jolly good conversation with his blokes. He looked so well rested and at ease. It was evident that this was his natural habitat and he thrived in it. Ginny audibly growled, clenching her fork tightly in her fist. It was completely unfair that he seemed unfazed by yesterday's predicament. Why was he so nonchalant about their strange arrangement? It bothered her even more that it _didn't _bother him. _Stupid, strange, sadistic Slytherins._ She gave him another look, shooting imaginary daggers out of her eyes, before returning to her morning meal.

* * *

><p>After breakfast, the class filed into a large room filled with desks row by row. The room clashed with its decorations and current function. Amidst the ornamental wallpaper and ornery paintings was a large blackboard with wheels in the front of the room with a teacher's desk. Name tags were hovering above each desk, indicating where everyone was supposed to seat.<p>

"I had no idea we were back in primary," Lena said, breezing by Ginny as found her seat. Luckily, they were sitting close to each other. Unluckily, her partner was sitting diagonally behind her. She didn't like having her back to him. It was like letting her guard down. Who knows what he would do to try to ruin this for her? She had only heard of the horrible Potions classes her brother and friends had to deal with in company of Malfoy; she could only begin to imagine what he could do as a full-fledged wizard.

The morning passed by uneventfully to Ginny's surprise. It seemed that the mornings the students would be taught various lessons on the topic of the week. For the first week of lessons, Narcissa had decided to provide an overview of Pure Blood Society, informing the class up to current events. She also lightly delved into an overview of some of the rituals, occasions, and etiquette of the tight knit community. Much to her disbelief, some of the information proved to be interesting. She learned interesting facts about her own families as well as the families of some of her friends. Mrs. Malfoy was a formidable professor, exhibiting a wide breadth of knowledge about Wizarding history and sociology. She was very organized in her teaching, her points well-organized and articulated clearly to the class.

Ginny supposed this wasn't so bad. They would be breaking for a light lunch in twenty minutes time. The daily session would reconvene in the afternoon for the practical portion of the day. The class would put into practice what they had been learning throughout the week. At the end of the week, there was an examination to test the students on the material. While Ginny Weasley was no Hermione Granger, she knew she could excel in this regard so long as she worked and studied hard…

…If only she didn't have the stupidest partner ever. Ginny could get full marks in all of their written exams, but they were also evaluated for how well each partnership cooperated as well as evaluated for their teamwork and collaboration. She couldn't imagine any of their practical exams going smoothly when Malfoy was her partner. Perhaps his lazy Slytherin tendencies would kick in and she would be able to deal with the brunt of the burden. While she didn't appreciate a partner who didn't do their work, Ginny would rather have control over the situation than let Draco Malfoy muck it all up.

Before she knew it, the class was dismissed for lunch much to the relief of everyone in the room. The determined former Gryffindor quickly shoved her belongings in her bag and made a beeline for the dining room. Breakfast had seemed like an eternity ago!

* * *

><p>Draco was quite relieved when they were finally dismissed for lunch. He had avoided the Weasel the entire morning mostly because whenever he dared to speak, he infuriated her. Truth be told, whenever she opened her mouth, it infuriated him too. Draco would instead make matters worse with a snide remark, or worse laugh at her. It irritated him to no end that someone would be so ungrateful to be paired up with him that he kept overlooking the fact that he needed to be nice to her for the sake of the bet.<p>

Unable to figure out a clever way to appease her and solve his own dilemma, he decided it was wisest to back off for the time being. It was best to quietly observe and study the situation at hand so he could create an informed decision. However, the morning session has been so boring. All of the things his mother was explaining to the class were things he had already known. He had heard this many times before; his own family tree intersected many times into this convoluted timeline of pure blood society. Instead he decided to doodle on his parchment, and when that did little to amuse him he focused on trying to irritate Weasley.

Try as he might, Draco kept trying to distract the Weaselette, but she wouldn't budge. He leaned in and tried to whisper and even resorted to throwing up crumpled up balls of parchment but she ignored everything. Instead she intently listened to every word coming out of his mother's mouth, jotting every so often. He was mildly impressed; her notes seemed quite detailed and neat. She had eerily become a bit more like Granger in her work habits.

After all of his failed attempts, he retreated to staring out of the window for the rest of the morning, effectively tuning out Narcissa. He wished his mother hadn't been so bent on making sure that she wasn't showing him favoritism and ensuring he comply with each portion of the program. _Sure, _now _she decides to exhibit some tough love after being mummy's little boy_, he thought wryly.

Even if he was single at the right moment, he didn't really know why he was even in this room in the first place. Draco had had relations of some kind with most of the women in the room, but he had to comply with his mother's wishes. Though he was the sole heir to the entire Malfoy estate and the head of the house financially, his mother would always truly be in control. He tried to cheer himself up by remembering that there were some decent looking girls here and he could use a fun distraction.

As Draco settled down next to Blaise for lunch, he breathed a sigh of relief. Weaving a hand through his hair, he stole a quick look at Ginny. She actually seemed a bit peppy after the morning session, animatedly talking to her friend. It surprised him. Whenever he interacted with her, she was rude, brash, and ready to hex him at the first opportunity.

"That was a bunch of codswollop, wasn't it?" Blaise said, interrupting Draco's thoughts as he handed him the platter of sandwiches.

Taking a sandwich for himself, Draco replied, "Here, here. Half of the class probably knew all of that like the back of their hand."

"Apparently your partner didn't," Blaise responded, gesturing towards Ginny. "Say, how is the attempt at reforming Eliza Doolittle?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "I haven't even spoken to her since last night. The bint stomped on my foot!"

"Malfoy, knowing you, you probably deserved it," Blaise answered sagely, clapping his friend on the back.

"Here, here!" Maxwell interjected, joining the conversation. "The sand in the hourglass is slipping away, mate. You best get on with our bet."

"Thanks. For. The. Reminder," Draco spat out, gritting his teeth. _Bloody idiot, always stating the obvious._

Eventually their conversation shifted topics and lunch began to pass on peacefully. Draco finally relaxed as he dug into his meal. Just as they were finishing, he overheard some of the commotion that was beginning at the end of the table.

There was Daphne Greengrass and her makeshift pack of minions. Draco smirked at the image before him. With her old friend Pansy Parkinson absent from the program, she felt obligated to take on the queen bee role. Her second-hand was the more mousey Tracey Davis, who happily indulged in order to meet Daphne's demands. A couple of other girls had also sat with them, forming what looked like the former Slytherin Horde from Hogwarts.

Daphne threw back her cascading blonde hair and said audibly, "Did you see what that Weasley pauper was wearing today? How sad it must be to barely be able to put two knuts together for a presentable outfit."

The girls all agreed, nodding their heads gravely. Satisfied with her cronies, Daphne continued, "Where does she shop anyway? The rubbish bin? Those designs and patterns are from a decade ago, at the very least."

The girls continued to giggle maliciously and make jokes at Ginny's expense. Every so often they turned to make sure she could hear their very loud conversation. Draco was amazed to notice that while Ginny's face was turning red, she had not made her way over to them to hex the daylights out of the women.

"…It's a shame Potter dumped her. I actually kind of admired her for that catch. A woman after my own heart," Daphne said, dramatically putting a hand to her heart. "She saw the galleon signs behind that name and went after it."

"I can't blame Potter though. He probably realized what a hopeless situation he was in. I'm surprised he came to his senses," she continued, as the girls began to get up to make their way up to their afternoon session. "Poor bastard. Must have had to support all of those ragamuffin Weasleys."

As they passed by Ginny and Lena, who were silent, Tracey quipped gravely, "I heard she had to take a job as a caretaker at St. Mungo's to support herself. She's probably used to all of that sweeping and cleaning though." The laughter of the girls rebounded as they walked out.

Draco noticed that by now Ginny was getting ready to charge the women. Luckily Lena tackled the red-head just in time, preventing her from doing something incredibly stupid.

"LET GO OF ME, LENA! LET ME AT THEM!" Ginny shouted from underneath her friend, struggling to break from her grasp. "When I see that Daphne I'm going to rip all of that blonde hair out of her scalp!"

Draco sighed. Daphne was laying it on incredibly thick. Eventually, however, the wheels in his brain began to turn. A wicked smile slowly began to appear on his face. Perhaps, he thought, he could use this fodder to his advantage.

* * *

><p>That second session of the day became a crash course in introductions. As the class haphazardly gathered into yet another large room in the Manor, Narcissa began with her instruction. Weaving in and out of the class, she began, "Today, we will begin with the simplest of tasks. In proper circles, you are to greet each other with respect. There are no meek handshakes or murmurs of hello."<p>

Narcissa returned to the front of the room, and looked at all of her students firmly. "As such, the men will be practicing their firmest of handshakes and bowing. The women," she shifted to look at them, "will practice their curtseys."

Ginny snorted. She couldn't remember the last time she had actually curtseyed for someone. In fact, she was pretty sure she had never done that before. "Why can't we practice handshakes too? I have a fantastic handshake," she murmured.

Lena smirked, still keeping her eye on the demonstration in front of them. Narcissa was demonstrating with Kendra the importance of one's grip during the process of the handshake. She then shifted gears to demonstrate the second maneuver.

"All of the women of this pseudo-court will be curtseying to the audience at the Ball. A curtsey is performed by one of lower social ranking to one who has a higher senior standing. While we do not participate in front of the Queen anymore," Narcissa paused, looking visibly unpleased at the thought. "You all must still respect the higher ranking members of society that you will be introduced to."

"Kendra will demonstrate the maneuver for us," Madame Malfoy gestured to her assistant. "Remember to carefully grab the hems of your skirts-" Kendra followed the directions by grabbing the ends of her skirt, "and gently bend." She swept her right leg behind the other, gently bending in the direction of the older woman.

"Now, practice your curtsey and bows with each other. We will be walking around the room to assess and provide assistance if needed," Waving her hands, she indicated to the class to start the lesson.

Ginny felt silly curtseying to the girls around her but acquiesced to Narcissa's requests. Just when she thought she was beginning to get the hang out of it, Narcissa came towards her. Unconsciously, she took a gulp of air. Having to curtsey to Narcissa was very uncomfortable. She had seen Hannah and Lena get through the interaction smoothly and hoped for the best. But, Ginny felt every bit the pauper she had been called earlier as she bowed in front of Mrs. Malfoy. Narcissa towered over her regally with her well-groomed appearance and wispy robes. In an alternate reality, Narcissa would played the part of the queen with ease; her imperial attitude was on display at that very moment.

They shifted gears eventually, moving onto the second part of today's lesson. "We will now be moving onto practicing our posture. You must never slouch when in proper company. It looks very rude and unbecoming. It shows a lack of confidence in yourself, which is a very unattractive quality," Mrs. Malfoy explained, looking as if she was smelling something foul. Standing tall, with her chin upward elongating her graceful neck, she elegantly floated past the class.

Narcissa made her way to the boys' section to make sure they were following the demonstration, leaving the girls on their own for the time being. Carefully making sure neither Narcissa nor Kendra were looking, Daphne seized the opportunity. Pushing her way through some of the girls, she began to walk horribly, unable to move in a straight line.

"This is how a frumpy Weasley walks," Daphne stated, laughing wickedly. She hunched over and mused her hair, putting a vacant yet pained expression on her face. "Look, I'm Ginny Weasley, and I wear atrocious, outdated clothes. I can barely keep the roof over my head!" She bumbled to and fro', delighting in the laughter from a couple of the other girls.

Morgan Cornwall meanly quipped, "Just look at that ridiculous red hair. It looks like scraggly copper wires are shooting out of her head!" She pointed in the offender's direction.

"And those freckles, what a shame! You would have thought that she would have gotten that fixed by now. She's an adult, not a pig-tailed adolescent!" Tracey chimed in.

"The Weasel lot can barely afford to put food on the table let alone purchase custom glamour charms, Tracey," Daphne replied, crossing her arms as she settled in between the others.

Ginny snatched the heavy book on her head that was used to calibrate her balance. She was livid. How dare all of these girls continue to disparage her name?! Especially when she was a few feet away? She whirled around and bounded towards the girls.

"At least I didn't have to buy my face, Daphne," Ginny retaliated. A crowd was now beginning to form around the new rivals.

"If you did, I hope you kept the receipt because you were cheated," Daphne retorted.

"Wait a minute…" Ginny squinted her eyes, closely examining the offending girl's facial features. "Say, is this your fourth nose?"

Daphne gasped dramatically, looking scandalized at the insinuation. She clapped a manicured hand around her nose.

"How dare you!" Tracey pushed her way through, interjecting. "Daphne's incredibly sensitive about her nasal issues! She has a very serious medical condition and had to have a world class Healer from Luxembourg Flooed in!" Tracey sympathetically put an arm around Daphne's shoulder, comforting her overly distraught friend.

"She has a disease, alright," Lena quipped. "It's called narcissism."

As if she heard the mention of her name, whistling sparks of electric blue flew over the crowd, silencing them all. All of the young women turned to see a disapproving Narcissa looking back at them. She cleared her throat, "That is all quite enough, ladies! We will not have any sort of this behavior during class. It completely undermines the mission of this program!"

While the rest of the class settled back into formation into practicing their walks and posture, Ginny noticed a certain blond laughing at the situation. She didn't miss when Draco elbowed Maxwell in the ribs, gesturing to the scene that had just happened. As they both laughed, Ginny desperately wanted to wipe foolish grin off of Malfoy's face. Seeing the book in her hands, she smiled evilly.

"Oi, Malfoy!" Ginny shouted, the book in her hand. Bewildered, he automatically turned at the sound of his name.

_SMACK. _

That was the sound of Malfoy's face meeting the front cover of the book that was formerly in Ginny's hands. She couldn't think of a better way to remove that silly expression off of his face. Dusting her hands off from a job well done, she cheerfully walked away, taking great pleasure in hearing the groans of Draco Malfoy behind her.

* * *

><p>Draco sank into an armchair in front of one of several fireplaces in the room, goblet in hand, with a deep sigh. The students were provided with a communal meeting place to enjoy their evenings. He was not in the mood to socialize and mingle with the others; it was time to relax. As his eyes watched the flames dance in the hearth, he couldn't help but be reminded of a certain red-headed witch. This had been the longest first day ever, and Draco could thank his lovely partner for that. Her dramatic cat fight had not only cost them demerits from their evaluation, but a lengthy lecture from his mother.<p>

Of course, that didn't last long as Max and Blaise were not far behind. Draco groaned inwardly as they settled into the nearby armchairs. As much as he enjoyed the company of his best friends, he was in a foul mood.

"How's your nose doing, Malfoy?" Maxwell asked with a smirk, referring to the day's events.

"Just fine, no thanks to you," Draco responded icily. "Stupid girl is already costing us points and the week has barely started!"

"It's your own fault you were laughing like an idiot," Maxwell responded testily.

Draco's eyes narrowed. "And who was the cackling buffoon next to me? That book could have easily been thrown in your face."

"My last name's not Malfoy," Max replied coolly.

Before Draco could retaliate with an insult, Blaise quickly interjected. "Say, has anyone read the results from yesterday's winged horse races?"

Giving Max one last steely glance, he turned to Blaise grimly. "It was a dull and uneventful race."

Blaise raised an eyebrow quizzically at his friend. Evidently not taking Draco's word for it, he hastily snatched a copy of the Daily Prophet from a nearby classmate's hand, ignoring their cries of objection. Straightening out the paper, he flipped through the pages until he found the Sports section. Draco saw Blaise's dark eyes grow wider as his eyes traveled back and forth across the page.

Throwing the paper aside, Blaise cried triumphantly, "Ha! See, I told you I'd win! Now, be a good lad and cough up the ten galleons you owe me."

"You just got lucky! My poor dear Hestia got influenza and was unable to race this week!" Draco sniffed. His prize-winning winged horse was having a perfect streak up until she fell ill.

Blaise gave him a smug smile as Draco reluctantly stuffed the gold coins into the palm of his hands. Even if they were arguing, a Malfoy always repays his debts. Draco rolled his eyes as Blaise made a dramatic show of carefully counting the small stack of coins in his grubby paw.

"That, my friend, is just a technicality," Blaise responded as he pocketed the change.

"Doesn't matter! My horse always places first," Draco retorted.

"Just because you finish first doesn't mean you're any good," an annoyingly female voice said behind him. "I'm sure you've heard that before."

Draco whirled around to see Ginny Weasley, glaring at him smugly, arms crossed in front of her. Just perfect, he thought, as if this evening was going so well already. He was in no mood to deal with Weasley. Who did she think she was getting into the middle of a wizards' bet?

"You must be confusing me with your scarhead boyfriend," Draco recounted. Standing up, he moved behind the armchair, standing face to face with her.

"Oh, don't flatter yourself Malfoy," Ginny sneered. "And for the umpteenth time, I am not Harry Potter's girlfriend anymore."

Draco couldn't stand that sneer on her face. That was his sneer! No one was supposed to be able to use that against him. This was the final straw. She had been pressing his buttons since the moment they were forced to communicate, and it was time for a taste of her own medicine. "On second thought, that's probably why he's not with you any longer. Couldn't get the key into that lock, if you know what I mean, and had to look elsewhere," Draco responded haughtily, taking a swig of his drink. Instead of hearing the usual sniggers of his supporting friends, he was met with silence. In fact, the whole common room had gone deafeningly quiet. Many of the women were giving him disapproving glares while the men gave him looks of pity. Apparently he may have crossed some sort of line and everyone knew. Except him. Where was he when the co-ed handbook was given out to everyone?

Ginny, to her credit, was staying pretty calm. He had expected she would have gone for her wand and hexed his precious hair off of his scalp, but she stood firm. However, her brown eyes were swirling with anger. Arms dropped at the waist, her clenched fists were turning white, nearly trembling. Draco had struck a nerve with Weasley. Good, he thought. Serves her right for everything she did today.

And then it happened in slow motion. He felt his grasp grow smaller around the goblet as it began to disintegrate. The goblet shattered into dozens of tiny pieces, creating a mini explosion of juice. The shards of what was once his goblet lay strewn around his feet, and pumpkin juice splashed all over his face, dripping down to the front of his spotless shirt. Draco yelped as he jumped back, startled by the contents that were stinging his eyes. He heard the click clack of heels disappearing off in the distance while he was met with snickers from the crowd.

After fiddling around blindly in his pockets, he finally found his wand and cleaned himself up. Looking around, Ginny was nowhere to be found. He could still feel the prying eyes of the students boring into him. "Oi! There's nothing to see here! Go get back to your uneventful lives!" Draco shouted and people quickly turned away. The room began to buzz again with conversation as if nothing happened. He sighed deeply and sank back into his armchair once again, warily running a hand through his hair.

"Draco, you sure know how to charm the ladies, don't you?" Max said, clapping his friend's back.

Blaise looked at him carefully, "You know you're going to be paying for that one for days to come."

Draco said nothing and instead stared long and hard into the fire. He didn't care he was mean to her. She needed to put back in her place. What did it matter anyway? Ginny Weasley was never going to accept the fact that they had to work together and neither could he. They were like oil and water, unwilling to mix. It was a match made in hell, and they were both doomed.

* * *

><p><strong>Please leave a review on your way out! Thanks. :)<strong>


	4. Tea

**four. tea.**

The next couple of days flew by. Ginny would wake up every morning with her lecture notes strewn across her bed. This morning was no different; she woke with a start, peeling a piece of parchment off of her face that had been stuck. She hoped somehow she would retain all of the information and minute details Narcissa seemed to be quite a stickler for. Her partnership was not improving much, but she hoped she could make up for that by remembering every other bit of information in order to pass with acceptable marks. Each time they were forced to work together, an argument ensued. Each one had to get the last word. Narcissa remained thin lipped but did not reassign them to other partners. They were like that volatile muggle invention electricity. They rubbed each other the wrong way and dangerous sparks flew whenever that happened.

It was novel really as Hermione had tried to explain several times to little avail, Ginny reflected as she got ready for the second week of lessons. A rope of sorts sent signals and created the lights through currents. However if there is a break in that rope, the connection would come undone. They were similar to a broken current; the fragmented pieces creating sparks when trying to be mended together. They needed to work as one to accomplish their goals but it was easier said than done. They would never come together to shine brightly. Ginny sighed as she grabbed her notebook and quill. There was little hope of that happening at this rate.

* * *

><p>Ginny shuffled into what looked like a ballroom with seconds to spare. She blinked, looking around the massive room. Several of the Burrows could easily fit in this space. Though the ceilings were expansive and had large decorative windows with gorgeous views of the gardens, today it looked like a drawing room. More like several drawing rooms, to be exact. Throughout the room were sofas situated with coffee tables and armchairs. Each table was set with a tea set and accompanying snacks. Ginny silently cheered as she saw delectable scones, biscuits, and crumpets galore; she had missed breakfast on account of oversleeping.<p>

"Students! Please find your partners and sit down at one of the tea stations. Today we will be working in groups of four, so find another partner set as well," Kendra instructed. "Madame Malfoy will be out shortly to begin this week's practical lesson."

Glancing around the room, her eyes quickly landed on Draco, who happened to be already sitting with Blaise and Lena. She grinned as she made her way to the group; at least she would have some friendly faces instead of dealing with Draco on his own.

Right as she sat down, Narcissa glided into the classroom, her silk robes swirling around at her feet. At the head of the room were two chairs and a table with a similar set up to the rest of theirs. Mrs. Malfoy stood in front of the display and calmly cleared her throat. Taking that as an indication that the class was to begin, the class quickly quieted down.

"Good morning, students. Now that we have moved beyond introductions, it is time to learn how to entertain guests. This week we will be focusing on Afternoon Tea. Often times, we have guests that like to pop in at odd hours of the day. Since it is not the proper time to serve a meal, it is fitting to serve tea and snacks instead. It is especially important for a hostess to know the proper etiquette for serving tea and it is equally important for members of society to know how to conduct themselves during such occasions," explained Narcissa. She then moved to sit in one of the chairs, facing across from Kendra.

The pair began to demonstrate the proper procedure for serving tea. From physically pouring out the tea to creating conversational points to accommodating guests, Narcissa went through every piece point by point. Ginny faded in and out of the instruction, having served many a tea in her time. Sure, it was never to the caliber of the wealthy class, but she presumed it would be the same. It was just giving your guests food and drinks; how hard could _that _be?

Narcissa snapped Ginny out of her reverie as she concluded, "Now class, the reason we asked you all to form small groups is to practice out this scenario – from being the hostess to being guests. Kendra and I will be monitoring you all as we walk around the class. While this is a larger team exercise, we will still be critiquing you all closely."

With that, the groups were left to their own devices as a small buzz began to reverberate around the room. As she turned back to her group, the boys looked expectantly at their counterparts. Ginny rolled her eyes. _Of course, we would have to do all the work. _

Glancing at Lena, she said, "I guess it's up to us to lead the activity? I can start first if you'd like."

"Be my guest," Lena replied with a smile.

Placing her hands on her knees, Ginny pushed herself up into a standing position. She carefully handed each of her guests a saucer, tea cup, and spoon. She began to pour the tea for the men, grasping the tea pot delicately but carefully as she bent across the table to serve her guests. When she got to Draco, Ginny inwardly groaned. They had barely spoken since their large spat in front of the class. Though she was still mad at him for his rude comments, she had calmed down from her boiling anger that had shattered the goblet in Malfoy's hands.

While she was trying to avoid making conversation with her partner, she couldn't help but notice Draco's eyes linger a little too long on her chest as she bent lower to pour the tea. Though he tried to quickly shift his focus somewhere else, Ginny had caught him. Noticing his misbehavior, Ginny felt she had to teach him a lesson. Carelessly moving the teapot several centimeters to the left, the piping hot liquid began to pour into his lap instead of his cup.

Draco yelped, quickly standing up to wipe the tea that soiled his nice slacks, sending his cup and saucer in the air. Blaise easily caught the cup and saucer before it hit the ground. A few of the students looked over to see what the commotion was about, but quickly went back to their business. It was once again another Weasley-Malfoy row. It was beginning to be commonplace around the Conservatory and had lost its entertainment value.

"My apologies, Malfoy. I suppose my hand started to… linger," she said pointedly but in her polite, hostess tone while narrowing her eyes at him. Okay, so perhaps she hadn't calmed down as much as she thought. He deserved it though.

Draco growled as he threw the soaked cloth napkins onto the table. "That was completely uncalled for! You've probably given me third degree burns! Not to mention ruin a completely fine pair of pants!"

Sitting down and crossing her legs like a proper lady, Ginny calmly replied, "You seem to be forgetting one thing."

"Oh yeah? What's that?" He replied, searching his pockets for his wand to fix this predicament.

"I'm a Healer," Ginny responded, pulling out her own wand.

"My mistake. How could I forget?" Draco rolled his eyes. "Oh right, you remind me at every opportunity," he added dryly.

"Well, you keep regarding me as incompetent!" Ginny cried, moving across to fix the mess that she created.

"Your profession is moot when you clearly lack motor skills," He retorted. Just as he found his wand, he realized Ginny was right next to him. Ginny saw his wary expression as he inched closer to Blaise and further away from her. Ginny bit the inside of her cheek to prevent her laughter from erupting as she got closer. She adeptly applied some healing charms to heal the burns and prevent any scarring. Ginny saw his eyes soften as the pain dissipated and he sighed with relief. She then quickly performed a few cleaning spells, leaving his slacks and the carpet as good as new.

"Hey, she's actually pretty good," Blaise chimed in, admiring Ginny's handiwork. Draco merely huffed in response, crossing his arms across his chest.

"It's not fair, Lena, you get the smart one while I'm stuck with this buffoon," she remarked, settling back onto the sofa. Lena chuckled and Blaise beamed at Ginny while Draco scowled at his partner.

As the acting hostess, Ginny quickly finished serving the tea to her guests and offered snacks. With her trusty wand in hand, she decided that it was best to finish serving her guests with magic to avoid further mishaps. She levitated the rest of the components to everyone.

Just as she had finished assembling her own teacup, she noticed Draco's peculiar expression. While everyone else was pleasantly enjoying her tea, he was holding his saucer as far away as he could from his body.

Eying it suspiciously, Draco asked, "How can I be sure you haven't poisoned this?"

"I guess you'll have to try it and find out," Ginny replied, pouring the cream into her cup.

"On second thought, maybe I should be happy if it is poisoned. I'll no longer have to continue through this ordeal," Draco stated. After a few more minutes, he brought the saucer closer to him. He sniffed the steaming liquid, slowly moving the cup, making the amber liquid whirl like a cyclone. Eventually, he brought the cup close to his lips, but still hesitated.

Ginny quipped, "I had no idea Malfoys were so paranoid."

"We proceed with caution when it's necessary." Draco asserted.

"Well look at Blaise, he's nearly done with is tea and seems to be doing just fine," Lena supplied.

"Yeah, mate, it's actually a good cup of tea," confirmed Blaise as he gulped down the last few drips.

Draco narrowed his eyes and scowled at his best friend. "Oh sure, take her side."

Ginny chuckled as the sugar cubes plopped into her own pool of tea. She quickly stirred her drink, the spoon clinking around the insides. Draco gave her a disapproving look and raised an eyebrow.

"What's the matter with you now?" Ginny replied, irritated. She set her spoon on the edge of her plate.

"You don't make noise while stirring. Every good host and hostess knows that. It's absolutely barbaric," Draco answered, calmly sipping his tea.

"Well, call me a savage then and pass me a crumpet, Malfoy," Ginny sighed. She was positive she had all of the rules of etiquette down for tea.

"If you say so, savage," Draco replied, handing the plate of crumpets over to Lena. Ginny rolled her eyes. Perhaps she should pay better attention next time, she mused.

The conversation slowly began to flow between the two men while she was making small talk with Lena. While sipping on her hot drink, she couldn't help but overhear what Malfoy and Zabini were talking about.

"How are the Estate's affairs doing?" Blaise asked Draco as he munched on a raspberry scone.

"Pretty good, actually," he responded. "You know how we've been expanding our investments this past year, yeah? During the past several weeks we've been focusing on the Institute of Muggle Studies, and…"

_The Institute of Muggle Studies?_ Her brows furrowed quizzically. What would a Malfoy have to do with that? She knew that Hermione was currently contracted to the Institute through the Ministry of Magic because of her impressive magical abilities as a Muggleborn witch, but she could not imagine why Draco would have any vested interest in such manners. It piqued her interest.

Unable to control herself, Ginny butted into their conversation, blurting out, "The Institute of Muggle of Studies? Why would you be working with them? You willingly interact with Muggleborns like Hermione, Malfoy?"

Both Blaise and Draco looked at her like she had sprung a third head.

"What's the matter with you guys? I just asked a simple question," Ginny responded to their incredulous stares.

"Why are you talking?" Draco asked dumbly.

Ginny looked at him, angrily. "What in the bloody hell do you mean 'why are you talking?'"

Lena cleared her throat. "Uh, Gin, according to today's lesson we're supposed to sit here quietly as the men discuss their affairs." It looked like it was painful for Lena to supply this information. "We're supposed to 'direct the conversation to simpler matters', as per direct quote from Madame Malfoy."

Ginny gapped. "What is this bullshite?" At least in her own home her parents participated equally in conversation with their guests. "Stupid backwards society," Ginny muttered, slumping in her seat as she crossed her arms while she seethed.

Lena nudged her friend, indicating that Narcissa was coming closer to them. Ginny quickly fixed her posture and plastered on a gleaming smile for all the world to see. Turning to Draco, she said, "Can I get you anymore tea, darling? After all, I'm here at your beck and call just as any trophy wife would."

"You're more like the consolation prize," Draco muttered, nibbling on a biscuit.

"What was that, dear? I just waited for you eagerly to come home. I didn't do absolutely anything today! It's too much for my pretty little brain to handle, what you know with that blood loss us females must deal with every month," Ginny continued, dramatically clutching her heart, in mock dismay.

Lena snorted while Narcissa, who had seen the whole display, gave Ginny a disapproving look, quickly scribbling in her notebook before snapping it shut and moving onto the next group.

Ginny was pretty sure they were all going to get marked down. She felt a little guilty that Blaise and Lena would get bad marks because of her, but the rash side of her won out once again. The boys deserved it for their ridiculous reaction. As if she was going to be seen but not heard by anyone, let alone her hypothetical mate.

Feeling exhausted by this tumultuous exercise, Ginny relinquished her rights as hostess to Lena. Lena quickly took over the after tea duties, such as offering the men pipes and lighting it up from them.

As her friend settled back onto the sofa, Ginny remarked while chewing on a biscuit, "I'm surprised women just don't slip some Amortentia into the men's tea and call it a day."

"This isn't 1843. Hasn't happened for centuries," Blaise seamlessly responded, as if commenting on the weather.

Ginny stared at him wordlessly, looking utterly horrified. She scarfed down another scone to help quell her miserable mood.

* * *

><p>Later that evening as the group convened in the common room, Ginny couldn't help but roll her eyes at the sight before her across the room. Draco Malfoy was quite salaciously flirting with one of the many females during their communal hours. It was vomit inducing.<p>

Currently, he was trying to use his smile on his latest target – Morgan Cornwall, a petite, green-eyed girl with long blonde hair. He kept leaning over and whispering things to her. Much to Ginny's annoyance, Morgan kept giggling in response, batting her exaggerated dark eyelashes. Sure, he had a decent smile but he wasn't _that_ great. It annoyed Ginny to no end and she couldn't figure out why. She eventually settled on the fact that it was because he clearly lacked any sense of respect or honor for their partnership, as faulty as it was. Or for Morgan's and Tristan Burke's, for that matter.

"She's the village broomstick, that Morgan. Everyone's taken a ride on her at least once," Lena supplied, when she caught what was in Ginny's line of vision

Ginny looked at her blankly, stunned by the harsh statement her usually sweet friend had just given.

"What?" Lena asked. "It's what Blaise told me." She focused once again on the magazine in her lap, flipping through it sheepishly.

Ginny could no longer listen to Morgan's obnoxious, bubbly giggles. "Ugh," Ginny groaned. "If I hear one more fake giggle, I'm going to crack. I need some air." She quickly made a beeline for the entrance, Morgan's high-pitched laughter ringing in the distance. Anywhere was better than here.

* * *

><p>Draco stepped out into one of the garden terraces near his mother's white rose bushes. He inhaled deeply, breathing in the cool air as his gray eyes scanned the garden, which was naturally in full bloom at this time of the year. The sun had sunk but the sky still hadn't completely darkened.<p>

He remembered all too clearly Ginny's dark eyes glimmering with anger. However, there was something else mixed in - hurt. Somewhere, very deep down inside, it struck him. He had made fun of many Weasleys time in and time out, but usually they responded with anger and fists. This was a strange reaction from one of his better opponents.

That tiny annoying voice in the back of his head told him what he did was wrong. He kept trying to swat it away throughout the week, unable to put his pride aside. It continued to nag at him though, until he was no longer able to ignore it. Draco knew he had to do something about his predicament, for the sake of his sanity, limbs, and most importantly, the bet.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps somewhere behind him, and shifted away from the rosebushes and back onto the concrete. There he saw Ginny Weasley, clad in a worn dragon-hide jacket over her homely dress, her arms folded over as her hands rubbed her arms for warmth. Strands of radiant crimson swirled around, her hair freed from the restraint of her braid. Her rebellious look contrasted greatly with the grandeur of the Manor and the elegance of the garden.

"Isn't dragon hide a bit out of the budget for a Weasley?" Malfoy quipped, approaching his unpredictable partner, his hands shoved in the pockets of his pants.

"It's my brother, Charlie's, old jacket; he works with dragons," she replied, too tired to go toe to toe with Malfoy.

Shifting the conversation, she said, "And just what were you doing over there? Snogging in the rose bushes?"

Draco smirked, planting himself adjacent to Ginny. "Perhaps. I'm sure you are disappointed at the fact that it wasn't you in those rose bushes with me."

Ginny looked utterly disgusted as if that night's dinner was about return from the way it went into her stomach. "You're completely mental."

"Calm down, Weasley," he laughed. "I just came out here for some fresh air."

"Oh…" Ginny responded, lamely.

They stood for several moments, in uncomfortable silence. Draco knew this was his opportunity to try to make amends. For once, Ginny didn't seem to be on the defense, and perhaps would be willing to listen to reason. He tried to think of a way to begin when her voice interrupted his thoughts.

"I didn't know you liked green eyes," she commented awkwardly.

Draco paused for a moment, unsure of how to answer. "They're alright, I suppose. Why? What's it to you?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just that your arch nemesis Harry Potter has green eyes," she explained.

Now it was Draco's face that was scrunching up in disgust. "Oh gods, Weaselette. Thanks a lot! You've completely ruined anything good about Megan Cornwall."

Ginny continued to elaborate as she said, "they're the same exact shade too. Uncanny, really."

"Not. Another. Word. Weasel. I am _this_ close to retching," he indicated by pinching together his index finger and thumb, leaving little space in between.

"Well, stop acting like a cad in the common room then!" she snapped.

Draco sighed, slowly exhaling. He face palmed, taking a few seconds to recollect himself. He needed to stop antagonizing her. If there was any hope of winning the bet, this was the perfect opportunity to save face. "Look," Draco began, awkwardly shifting his weight from heel to toe, teetering back and forth. "Daphne may have been a bitch last week but she's not completely wrong."

Seeing the outraged look on Ginny's face, he quickly continued before she took over the conversation. "Look Weasley, you may have gotten comfortable at Hogwarts and St. Mungo's, but this is my turf. This is my home, my people, my rules. I could actually be an asset in completing this program successfully. You clearly came into this program for a certain reason, and I doubt you want to fail."

"I do not need any help, Malfoy!" Ginny cried incredulously. "I'm doing just fine, thank you very much."

"Oh, sure. Our dismal marks in lessons are a great indicator of that. I think you may be the mental one out of the two of us," he replied.

With no response from his partner, he sighed with a shrug. "Suit yourself, Weasley."

_I tried,_ he thought to himself as he reached into his own jacket pocket. He laid down the bait and it was up to her to take it. With Weasley still surprisingly silent, Draco felt it was a good time for a moment of relaxation. His hand returned from his pocket with a packet of cigarettes and a lighter. Flipping the carton open, he took one out and lit it in one swift move. He exhaled deeply, a cloud of smoke exiting his mouth in small rings.

"Malfoy! Cigarettes?!" Ginny cried, astonished. Draco winced. He was not in the mood for a lecture from a goody two-shoes Gryffindor – and a Healer to boot – about his bad habit that wouldn't seem to give. But to her surprise, Ginny had other thoughts on her mind.

"I haven't had one in so long and I'm about to crack! Your mum nicked them from my things during that ridiculous inspection," she continued. "I mean, we're grown adults, and she was going through all of my most private things!" Ginny looked at him expectantly, tapping her foot.

Draco asked, irritably, "What do you want, Weasley?"

"Well, aren't you going to offer me one? After all, it is the polite thing to do," she reprimanded. "And isn't what this Conservatory is based on? Manners?"

Draco let out another set of smoke rings before replying, "You shouldn't be smoking. It's bad for your health, Healer Weasley."

"Oh stuff it, Malfoy!" Ginny cried. "Do you really think that Healers listen to their own advice? Half of them are smoking like chimneys during their breaks while the other half are hoping to nick one off the other. If I'm really stressed out, I'll occasionally ask someone for one."

Draco thought about it for a moment. On the one hand, this was his last pack since he had decided to give up the habit for once and for all. He was down to the last several sticks and was treasuring them. On the other hand, this could be an unexpected step in the right direction. Wordlessly, he brandished the box out of his pocket and threw them over to her.

Ginny easily caught it and wrapped her hands around the container. She took one out and waited for Draco to bring out his lighter. He moved closer to her, leaning down to light the cigarette. His light eyes met her dark ones for a moment. For once there was no anger or disgust in her expression, but he was unable to read her face. Draco suddenly became acutely aware of this strangely intimate exchange, and quickly moved away.

For several minutes, they quietly enjoy their forbidden secret in peace, enjoying the pleasant evening. "Wow this is some quality stuff, Malfoy," Ginny exhaled, breaking the silence.

Draco wasn't sure where this was going. They finally had a few minutes of civility, and he wasn't keen on talking. It would break the feeble bridge he had just built.

Evidently Ginny had other ideas, as she continued, "You know, I don't understand how your mother makes a show of having us learn how to light up pipes and smokes and the like when women aren't even allowed to smoke according to this society's rules."

"No one wants to see yellow teeth on a woman or kiss an ashtray," Draco smirked.

"Like we want to see them on you guys?" Ginny scoffed, wrinkling her nose. "Pot meet kettle."

"And another thing," Ginny said, wagging her finger in the air. "Your mother spouts off the silliest bullshite I have ever heard in my twenty odd years of existence. 'A woman must definitely be seen but not necessarily heard.'"

"No idea what she's going on about, honestly. Narcissa Malfoy makes sure she's heard by everyone," Draco replied, sounding a little bored. He knew his social circle was full of contradictions, and didn't need to be told again. This was clearly a brand new revelation to the youngest Weasley.

"Stupid backwards society," Ginny muttered once again. It was slowly becoming her mantra at this rate, Draco thought.

They continued on with their task in an awkward silence once again. The sky was darkening as the minutes were flying by and a sprinkle of stars slowly began to glimmer. Eventually, Ginny threw the remains of her butt on the ground, quickly squashing it with her left foot. With a quick wave of her wand she vanished it away.

"Well… Goodnight, Malfoy," she awkwardly bade him farewell. She began to walk away, before turning around quickly. "Er, thanks for the cig," she quickly said, before disappearing back into the house.

**A/N:** I know, you're probably thinking ew, smoking? He's trying to kick the habit, okay? Thank you SO MUCH for the lovely reviews! Please be sure to leave one on your way out. ;)


	5. Manners

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own anything remotely related to Harry Potter, or any other recognized entity here. All of that belongs to J.K. Rowling, Scholastic, Warner Brothers, etc. I'm broke, so there's no point in suing me.

* * *

><p><strong>five. manners. <strong>

Somehow, they made it through the remainder of the week without any serious injuries. But that wasn't to say that it was totally peaceful, either. Draco plucked off the first sweater, which was charcoal, that he saw hanging in his expansive wardrobe, quickly pairing it with navy pants. Swiping a comb through his hair several times, he buckled his watch around his wrist and grabbed his wand before heading downstairs.

Draco found his mates eagerly scarfing down their morning breakfast in the middle of the long common table. "Malfoy! Over here!" Maxwell hollered, motioning for him to come over. He settled down across from them helping himself to some eggs and toast,

"Well, good morning, sleeping beauty. Nearly missed breakfast," Max said as a way of greeting.

"If you got half the amount of sleep that I do to maintain these good looks, you'd probably look a tad less like an ogre," Draco replied before taking a bite of his breakfast. "But I guess you can't fix what's hereditary."

"Unlike you two, I don't need to rely on sleep for maintenance. All of this is au naturale," Blaise boasted.

Maxwell threw a biscuit at Blaise's head, which promptly bounced off and fell onto the bench in a crumbled mess. He stared down at it for a second before turning back to Draco. "So, how goes the partnership?"

"S'alright. She's no longer trying to maim me or ruin my wardrobe, which I take as a step in the right direction," Draco answered after swallowing his orange juice. "How's Daphne?"

Maxwell sighed. "You know Daphne. I just do what she tells me to do to avoid hearing her shrill voice yelling at me. How could such a fit girl be that foul?"

"Well, we all can't have a match made in heaven, like Zabini here," Draco glared at him.

Blaise grinned at the both of them. "What can I say? Sometimes you just get lucky. Fortunately for me, that's all of the time."

"It's completely unfair," Maxwell rolled his eyes. "He gets the perfect personality and looks, I get the banshee, and… well… you've got your work cut out for you. That Weasley's a feisty one. We're already a quarter of the way in and you've yet to make much progress on the bet."

Draco pondered over Maxwell's choice of word as the other two continued to talk. _Feisty. _He reflected on Ginny. He recalled that she surprisingly hadn't been made a prefect, despite her family's legacy of churning out supposed model students... according to Hogwarts' standards, anyway. So she probably had to have a bit of a mean streak. And that he had experienced full well, such as getting a full blast of her Bat Bogey hex during his fifth year or her numerous attempts to cause physical injury to his person just in the past couple of weeks. He still didn't know what to make of her; she was so hot and cold. Almost civil in one instance and completely livid in another. Draco was sure he had some part in that, but pushed that thought aside. Ginny Weasley was not the typical woman he was used to.

The gong resounded throughout the dining room, signaling that it was time for this week's lesson to begin.

* * *

><p>"Good afternoon, class. Having discussed the socio-political ramifications of dining in Wizarding society during this morning's lecture, can anyone guess what this week's practical be about?" Narcissa asked the class. A few murmurs answered her back, but there was no definitive answer. She gave them all a grim stare, before continuing. "We will be focusing on table manners."<p>

A collective groan rippled through the crowd, including one from Ginny. As far as she thought, she was pretty polite when eating, unlike her brothers. They always seemed like they were famished; always eager to scarf down their meal as if they were unsure of when the next one would happen, even though it was predictably several hours away.

As if answering Ginny's question, Narcissa answered, "It is more than just being polite. There is a greater nuance to table manners. It is important to know how to conduct oneself depending on the occasion. We will be focusing on the table setting. It provides the rubric for each situation. Generally, you will encounter three types of place settings. The first is the basic table setting, which is what you all have at every meal here. The second, the informal table setting, which consists of an informal three course meal. And finally, there is the formal place setting, for the formal six course dinner." She indicated each of the settings by holding up the corresponding amount of manicured fingers.

"Your manners can make the difference in socializing with a government official or conducting a business deal. Bad etiquette would generally offend your guest and could possibly cause negative consequences for you in the future…." Narcissa continued while Ginny began focusing on the different setting examples displayed at the front of the room.

Each setting had a different amount of forks and spoons and glasses. It was hard for Ginny to focus; they all seemed to blend together despite their different heights and positions. Narcissa went through each one demonstrating that this fork was the salad fork or that this was the dinner knife. Why did people need that many different utensils to eat food with anyhow?

"What a waste of utensils. I couldn't imagine washing that many forks and knives after every meal," Ginny muttered as she meticulously scribbled everything in her notebook.

"The vast majority of these people have never lifted a finger in their lives, let alone wash the dishes," Lena whispered back. It was true. Many of the students came from wealthy families, who generally had house elves to take care of such household chores.

After finishing the demonstration, Narcissa clasped her hands together. "I am sure you are all expecting our practical lesson to commence now. Instead, I will be dismissing you at this point." Cheers waved through the crowd. "Because," Narcissa continued, "we will be putting your new-found knowledge to the test during dinner." Another wave of groans washed over the class only to quickly die down at the steely glare given from Mrs. Malfoy.

"We look forward to evaluating you all this evening. Class is dismissed."

* * *

><p>When Ginny walked into the dining room with Lena that evening, they were in awe of the change in atmosphere. Each seat had a formal place setting in front of it with the shiniest silverware. Decadent candelabras with pearls and crystals strung through were placed periodically every few chairs. Combined with the lovely flower centerpieces, the warmth of the candlelight and the pop of color of the flowers created a warm ambiance.<p>

Ginny had to remind herself that this was still an exercise and not a time to relax and enjoy the splendor of the dining room. She had to make sure she was still on her guard and paying attention to the task at hand. With the bleak marks she had been getting in the past couple of weeks during the exercises, she needed to step her game up. Ginny tried to remind herself at the light at the end of the tunnel: Galleons. Galleons that would secure her future as an independent adult.

"Galleons. Galleons. Galleons," Ginny kept muttering as she seated herself in between Lena and Theodore Nott.

"See, I told you were mental, Weasley," Draco said as he settled down across from her. "Only nutters mutter to themselves like that."

"Huh?" Ginny said, snapping out of her reverie. "I am not!" Her response lacked the usual bite it usually carried as she was so preoccupied. "Stop talking. I need to remember which fork is which."

Draco smirked but didn't have the opportunity for a snarky retort as Kendra started introducing the exercise. Ginny had to admit, as she glanced over at her partner, that the candlelight created an almost ethereal glow around him with his light skin and platinum hair.

_Focus, Ginny! _She chastised herself as she tried to regain her concentration. Now was not the time to try to admire Malfoy's looks, even if they were worthy of admiration, she begrudgingly admitted to herself.

Just as she unfolded her napkin and placed it on her lap, the food magically appeared on platters. It reminded her greatly of the delicious feasts at Hogwarts, only much more grandiose. As for the first course, it started with appetizers, such as the glorious cheese plate that had appeared right before her very eyes. There were soft cheeses, rotund wheels, and unpleasant smelling cheeses paired with wonderful hearty pieces of bread and fruits to accompany them. She carefully took a couple of pieces and used the proper knife to spread the cheese onto her bread. _Whew. This isn't too bad._

But as usual, Ginny had thought too soon. The dinner started to go downhill from there. As she saw Narcissa and Kendra walking up and down, monitoring and silently analyzing all of the students with their stern looks, Ginny gulped. She was so used to being liked by nearly everyone she met that Charm School had thrown her off course. She wasn't used to trying this hard to make a good impression on someone; usually it was a very natural progression. It didn't help that she wasn't used to all of these regulations and wasn't in her element. The mere sight of her gave off the wrong impression to these people. It greatly unnerved Ginny but somehow made her more determined to prove them all wrong.

She became too self-conscious as she tried to make sure she was using the proper utensil, plate, and glass for each dish under constant scrutiny. During the soup course, while they were enjoying a delicious onion soup, she dropped her spoon. She cast her napkin aside and quickly ducked under the table to find her spoon. _It's so hard to see down here,_ Ginny thought to herself. She bumped into several legs, both male and female, until she finally found her darned spoon. When coming back up for air, she hit her head as she stood up too soon.

"Oh, fuck me," Ginny muttered as she returned to her chair, her eyes threatening to water as the pain began to throb. Rubbing the sore spot on the top of her head, she sheepishly apologized to her neighbors, all of whom were giving her dirty looks.

"Language, Weasley," Draco admonished with a smirk. "And, I'd rather not. I am a gentleman after all. I at least buy women dinner before sex."

"Kindly please shut it, Malfoy," Ginny retorted, her face growing warm. She swiftly threw a carrot at him once Narcissa turned her back on them.

During the salad course, she was speaking animatedly with Lena, when a wild hand gesture caused Ginny to spill her pumpkin juice all over her skirt. She had evidently forgotten to place her napkin back onto her lap. When the side dishes appeared, she dropped the spoonful of potatoes that were meant for her plate onto the floor.

"Seriously Weasley," Draco muttered. "How are you a sodding Healer? How do administer medications or spells with precision?"

"I'll have you know I'm a legend there!" Ginny cried. And she was right. When it came to one of her passions, she worked very hard to do the best that she could. She wasn't affected by egos or got sucked into any of the drama and gossip at the hospital. She accomplished every task to the best of her ability and got pleasant results. Now why couldn't she just apply those skills here?

Ginny's credibility remained shaky as she almost dropped the platter she was passing over to Theo.

"Sorry, Nott!" Ginny cried, turning red.

"Remind me never to request a Healer from St. Mungo's again," Draco sighed, rubbing his temples.

The main course arrived consisting of beef wellington and some delectably glazed steaks, all cooked to perfection. She tried not to overfill her plate so she wouldn't look so rude, but it was impossible. All of the food was so delicious that she wanted to consume as much as she could without exploding. A couple of the young women several seats down gave her dirty looks and giggled in her direction.

Ginny ignored them as she continued to make conversation with Lena and Blaise. While she was tolerating Draco, she still could not handle talking to him like an acquaintance, let alone a friend. Just when they would get back onto the proper footing, he would muck it all up with some snarky comment or rude remark.

They had finally made it to the dessert course when Ginny noticed that the ratio of forks to knives at her setting were off. She really wasn't sure how she had two forks, a knife, and no spoon left. Looking around her vicinity, everyone's utensils had disappeared save for a spoon for dessert. Just then, Narcissa paused to look at her current situation and shook her head, sighing. She quickly scribbled away in that notebook of hers and walked away.

Ginny heard another giggle several feet away that sounded awfully familiar. It was Daphne's as usual. A spoon had luckily accompanied her dessert when it appeared in front of her, and just as she was about to dig into her elegantly layered trifle, she couldn't help but overhear Daphne's conversation with her trusty sidekick, Tracey.

"Just look, Daphne. Weasley couldn't even figure out which fork to use. Even my three year old nephew knows that. It's a wonder how she manages to dress yourself every day," said Tracey, pausing. "On second thought, her clothes speak for themselves," she sniffed.

"Now, now Tracey. You can't fault the poor girl. Emphasis on poor. They probably only have one large pot and spoon to share amongst that village of a family she has," Daphne reasoned.

"They probably just use their hands. You can tell how starved those boys were. Just look at the way her brother ate in school!"

Draco had also heard the conversation and sniggered, before quickly shutting up when feeling the harsh rays of Ginny's death glare that were threatening to shoot fiery daggers directly at him. At least he seemed to finally catch on when to shut up.

They continue to speak loudly, as Daphne declared, "The day Ginny Weasley becomes the Belle of the Ball would be the day Snape decided to wash his hair."

"But Daphne, he's dead. That isn't possible," Tracey stated confusedly.

"Exactly."

Daphne started laughing a little too hard at her own joke. It took a few moments for Tracey to catch up but soon enough she chimed in with the cackling.

Ginny quickly reached for one of her many leftover forks and quickly started to wield it as a weapon. Before she could stand up and make it over to Daphne, Draco quickly reached across and lowered her hand.

"Always with the violence, Weasley," Draco calmly chided.

* * *

><p>The next evening, Ginny headed out to the sprawling backyard instead of heading into the common room with everyone else. She needed time to clear her mind and escape for a short awhile. There was only one way she could think of doing that and that was Quidditch. Pausing to tie her loose laces on her worn trainers, she made her way down to the Quidditch Pitch that was set up on the Malfoy Estate. It was properly dug out in the ground, complete with robust hoops and even had a towering seating box for a small audience to spectate.<p>

She shifted to the right when her eyes fell upon the broomstick shed. She was met with a large stock of Firebolt Flashes, upon opening the shed, one of the latest and best models of broomsticks.

"It figures," she sighed as she grabbed one by the handle. The seemingly unlimited amount of wealth the Malfoys had was quite astounding. A better question to ask would be what didn't they own rather than wonder what they did.

Before lifting off, she put on her riding gloves and dusted them off with some spare powder, patting the excess onto her old jeans. For the first time since she had come here, she felt finally felt comfortable in her casual clothing. As she kicked off to get into the air, she finally felt like she was herself again. It felt good to regain some semblance of self when she was so consumed with becoming something she was clearly not.

She dived up and down a few times, enjoying the breeze hitting her face, whipping through her ponytail. Her hair whipped around her head as she twisted and turned. It wasn't until ten minutes later she noticed a familiar golden speck whizzing by centimeters away from her face. She wasn't alone on the pitch; there was a figure off in the distance. A very blond figure. Just as she was about to turn and retreat, she saw him hastily flying over to her.

"Damnit, Malfoy, why are you always wherever I am?" Ginny said in a perplexing manner. She was never going to get a moment to herself at this rate.

"And quite corking to see you too, Weasley," Malfoy replied with a smirk. "Charm School is really paying off."

"I'm really not in the mood, Malfoy," she snapped, slowly descending to the ground.

"Well, technically speaking, I was here first. It would appear that _you're_ stalking _me_," Draco replied from overhead. "Besides, I need something to occupy me now that I've given up smoking."

She looked up to see that he was also descending with her, much to her chagrin. Ginny noticed that Draco had also dressed down for the occasion. Though, unlike her, he had the proper Quidditch attire on that looked brand new and expensive. She couldn't help but notice that his riding pants were rather flattering, particularly his bum. His ebony robes looked very similar to the ones worn by the Montrose Magpies, the most successful team in the British and Irish league, sans the magpie logo. He did look rather handsome with the complete Quidditch uniform, from the billowing robes right down to the shin guards. She quickly tried to vanish that thought out of her mind.

As soon as her feet touched the ground, she swiftly dismounted. "Please, don't flatter yourself. Your head doesn't need to be any larger than it is," Ginny scoffed, as she sat down on a nearby bench for players.

He sat down next to her, peeling off his riding gloves. "I have a perfectly sized head, thank you very much," Draco replied without missing a beat, and ran a hand to correct his tousled hair. "Just ask Pansy or Daphne, they'll tell you that my looks are the cream of the crop around here."

"Say, why isn't Parkinson here?" Ginny asked abruptly, changing the topic.

"Got married to some Irish bloke a couple of months back," Draco shrugged. "Took a load off my shoulders."

"And another thing, why aren't you with Daphne? I mean, outside of this whole ridiculous Conservatory. You guys seem to be the perfect picture. Hell you could use the same monogram and you have that alliteration thing going on," Ginny rambled.

"You've put a lot of thought into that," Draco replied, raising an eyebrow, smirk still in place. "Besides, Daphne's a miserable human being."

"She's so lucky to have a friend like you," Ginny responded sarcastically.

They fell into silence as the sun had completely gone down. Ginny paused to look at the expansive sky above her in search for the few constellations she could remember from Astronomy class.

"This whole Charm School tradition is insane," Ginny suddenly blurted out, breaking into the peace that had come over them. She wasn't really sure what had gotten into her, but she was no longer able to bottle up her displeasure for the Conservatory. Ginny had to share her thoughts with someone, even if that someone ended up being Malfoy.

"What?" Draco said bewildered, turning to look at her.

"You heard me!" Ginny cried, looking frustrated. "I mean, imagine being paired up with the expectation that you should be good with said person. How can we be pre-selected for each other like that? That's not how relationships are built!" She threw her hands up in the air in exasperation.

"Well, it's just the way things are done," Draco said gruffly. "It's not like it's set in stone."

"It's not like I'd expect you to understand love, Malfoy," she bitterly replied, crossing her arms at her chest.

Suddenly, Draco leaned in closer to her, his face almost nose to nose with hers. He looked dead serious with a chilled calmness in his eyes that were piercing into hers. "It may be difficult for someone like you to comprehend, but I do know what love is," Draco said in a quiet but stern tone. "Just because I can compartmentalize my feelings doesn't mean they no longer exist."

He wasn't done at that though as he continued, "Do you know why we continue to keep up with these 'traditions?'" Ginny nervously shook her head. She wasn't quite sure what was happening at this moment. She had never seen Draco Malfoy so serious in her life; it was a little unsettling.

"It's because we're all so busy making sure the other doesn't realize that we're trying to put ourselves back together from the mess we got into. These people are broken, just like everyone else is. It brings some semblance of normalcy. It's easier to hide behind these masks than dare show we have any weaknesses."

Without waiting for a response, Draco reached over for his broomstick and stood up from the bench. He sauntered away towards the house. Ginny was stunned by this momentary lapse in Draco's seemingly impenetrable shield. Evidently there was a small chink in that armor. This society had such stringent rules and regulations, she thought to herself, watching him disappear into the Manor. Everybody was hiding behind rituals and procedures. Everybody including Draco Malfoy.

* * *

><p>It was the night before the weekly exam, and Draco was tossing and turning in his bed. He could not for the life of him understand why he was so restless. Normally reading business documents late into the night quickly put him to bed, but not tonight. The past couple of days had been dreadful. Ever since that strange encounter at the Quidditch Pitch, he had barely spoken to Ginny unless absolutely necessary.<p>

Draco groaned, putting his arms behind his head as he stared up at his enchanted ceiling marked with his family's namesake constellations. He sighed as he saw his own constellation twinkling back at him. He wasn't sure why it had ruffled his feathers so. Is that what people saw him as? Unhuman? Unable to feel? True, he did pride himself on being able to mask his emotions; it was one of his many talents but it bothered him to some degree nonetheless. Perhaps, it was because it was a Gryffindor, those deemed to be so pure and indoctrinated to somehow see the good in people, that couldn't see anything good in him. Or perhaps, he couldn't stand the fact that Ginny Weasley thought she was superior to him in that regard.

He turned over to his left side, eyeing the clock sitting on his nightstand. Its hands indicated that it was a little after two in the morning. He cast his comforter aside and put on his slippers. Pulling his night robe on and fastening it, he quietly slinked out of the room. He figured he might as well walk over to the kitchen and grab himself a snack. A couple of stairwells and some turns later, he walked into the spotless kitchen. It was thankfully deserted; he was in no mood to hear the peppy chirps of a dutiful house elf at this hour.

Draco found a bowl of fresh fruit on one of the islands, and quickly grabbed himself a shiny green apple. He walked back into the corridor, hoping he would finally be able to get some sleep with a full stomach. As he bit into the refreshingly tart fruit, Draco heard a light clatter a few doors down followed by a voice.

It appeared to coming from the dining room. Draco's curiosity got the best of him as he decided to investigate what all the racket was all about. All of the students had retired to their quarters hours ago, especially because there was an examination tomorrow. He stopped at the entrance of the dining room, which was open a crack. From there he could see who had decided to stay up late.

The long communal table had been put away for the night. Instead, there was Ginny Weasley sitting on the floor, in a tartan nightshirt and matching boxer shorts, looking very frustrated at a pile of plates and utensils. Her hair was in a loose and messy plait, many hairs sticking out of the braid in various directions and escaping. Her brown eyes were tired and weary, frantic to get each table setting down perfectly. It was evident that she was attempting to study for the table manners exam tomorrow, and was scrambling to cram. He smirked as he took a big bite of his late night snack. _Not so easy is it, Weaselette? _

"UGH! I give up! I'm never going to get this!" She cried, throwing one of the forks into the pile as a surrender. It hit the wood floor hard, the head of the fork tilting to the left as a result. She covered her face in her hands and sighed. "Seriously? Is this what I have to do to prove to everyone that I can finally take care of myself? I can heal wounds and set bones but I can't bloody figure out where to put the sodding steak knife or the salad fork. Who even needs this many damned spoons anyway? WHO CARES. As long as it's clean just use it!" She was clearly ranting to no one in particular, unaware that Draco was listening in.

"I just wanted to get those stupid Galleons so I could finally move out and begin my life an adult. Is that really that hard to ask for? I am apparently doomed to live in the shadow of my brothers. That's how it's going to be isn't it? I'm going to be a forty year old spinster with five Kneazles and still living at the Burrow." She said as tears started to roll down in frustration.

Who knew someone could look that helpless and pathetic? For some reason, it actually tugged at Draco's heart strings. Yes, contrary to popular belief Draco Malfoy actually had a heart. It was very deeply hidden, but it was there. He had wanted to come in to make fun of her for finding something so simple difficult, but now it felt like kicking a lost puppy. The look Ginny had on her face was jarring. It stirred something inside of him, only he wasn't quite sure what. He had seen girls cry before and he would feebly attempt to make them feel better but the look in her face made him feel strange. It just didn't feel right. He wasn't used to this feeling of empathy in the pit of his stomach. Maybe it was because he could relate to trying to prove the world wrong about their preconceived notions about them. He could relate to the struggle on trying to establish oneself as their own person, separate from their family. Or perhaps, someone finally looked as clueless as he felt about his future. He groaned as he ran a hand in his hair. _I'm going to be kicking myself later for doing this. _Against better judgment, he shifted from his eavesdropping spot and widened the door, leaning into the doorway.

He cleared his throat, causing Ginny to whip her head up in his direction, surprised that someone was there. Tears were still threatening to fall from her exhausted reddened eyes and onto her tear stained cheeks. "What do you want?" She asked, wiping her eyes in annoyance with the back of her hand like a child. "I really don't need to hear any of your berating comments at this hour."

"I had decided against my better judgment to give you some assistance. But I could see I'm not welcome," he drawled. Why did he even bother? She was always so annoyed with him. What did he care if she failed and didn't pass through the program? _That little bet, you dolt_, a reasonable voice inside chastised.

"Yeah, right, like you'd actually help me," Ginny said cynically. "Besides, it'll be of no use. You'd just be wasting your breath. I may as well just go pack my bags now."

"Some Gryffindor you turned out to be," Draco responded. It annoyed him at how easily she was giving up. Where was all of that Gryffindor pride that was always on display? "Aren't you all bold and brave to a fault? Are you really going to let a stupid test like this get the best of you? Are you really going to prove morons like Daphne right?"

"What's it to you, Malfoy?" Ginny glared, inelegantly blowing her nose into one of the cloth napkins.

"Nothing really. But I'd rather not hear another lecture from my mother," he replied as he leaned against the doorway. "And I'd prefer not to stare at a blotchy spotted mess tomorrow."

"Gee, is that how you talk to all the girls?" She asked sarcastically.

"As a matter of fact, yes," he replied without missing a beat. "Actually, they don't really pay attention to what I'm saying. They're too busy staring at my devilishly handsome good looks and imagining what they can do with my endless mountains of gold."

"At least they try to reap the benefits of dating someone with a horrible personality," she said, rolling her eyes. "As much as I enjoy trading barbs with you, I'm rather busy at the moment." Ginny turned away from him and began to pour over her notes.

"Look, Weasley, this is a once in a lifetime offer. I don't just offer my services to anyone," Draco stated irritably.

"Well, your services aren't needed here, Malfoy," Ginny called out over her shoulder.

Draco shifted uncomfortably for several minutes; his usual tactics weren't working. Then, against his own will, he felt himself push off of the doorway and into the room. He walked into the empty, scantly lit room and closer to his partner. He stopped just inches away from the display.

"You know, I used to have trouble with this when I was younger," he said earnestly, awkwardly shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Really?" Ginny said, looking up at him with a surprised expression.

"I know, shocking. I can show you a couple of tips and tricks to get through it, if you'd like," he offered. Draco wasn't really sure what was getting into him. But for some reason, he felt compelled to help Ginny with her current predicament.

Ginny laughed a little too hard, causing him to raise an eyebrow. "It's so late right now that I'm desperate enough to say yes."

Draco sat down across from her, crossing his legs, the silverware acting as a barrier in between them.

"Alright, it's simple enough. The first trick is if you can't remember anything, just work your way from the outside in. The outer most fork and knife generally correspond to the courses that are brought out."

"Work outside in," she repeated, as if ingraining it into her memory.

Fishing his wand out of his robe pocket, he illuminated each utensil as it floated up during his rundown of the place setting.

"See this large fork with the tallest prongs? This is the dinner fork. Generally it's the one closest to the plate, on your left side. The fish fork and the salad fork will go to the left of the dinner fork, respectively," he continued.

"But your mother mentioned that sometimes the salad might be served _after_ the entrée. I'm back at square one then," she said impatiently.

"I mentioned the prongs, right? That's another way to figure it out. Tallest prongs is the dinner or entrée fork so the smallest pronged fork is the salad fork. What's in between will be used for a fish course, should there be one."

He continued to go through each of the utensils one by one. Draco explained each piece of silverware's function, placement, and whether there was an exception to the rule. Ginny wrote down all of his tips fervently, quickly scrawling out diagrams to help her remember all of the handy information.

"Another way to remember it is: 'FORKS'," Draco said, after going through the details.

"What the hell is 'FORKS?'" Ginny asked with a yawn.

"Those things you eat with, Weasley," he replied sarcastically. Then he remembered he was trying to help her rather than argue, so he continued on. "Just picture the word in your mind. Left to right. The F is for Forks; O represents the plate, based on its round shape; K is for Knives and the S is for the Spoons."

"What happened to the R?" she asked.

"It's not important," he said, brushing it off.

"But then it's FOKS, not FORKS," Ginny pointed out. "Quite lovely ginger creatures, really."

"You Weasleys have no imaginations in those small brains of yours," he retorted, crossing his arms.

"What about the bread plate? I always get it mixed up. I'm pretty sure I ate off of Lena's plate the other night. Only she was too kind to point it out," she inquired, apparently choosing to ignore Draco's insult.

"Oh, that's easy." Draco said, uncrossing his arms. He held his arms out in front of him. "Just remember: 'Bread' and 'Drinks'." With his left hand, he touched the tips of his thumbs to the tips of his forefingers to form a lowercase "b" and did the same with the right hand, forming a lowercase "d". "See? Bread to your left, drinks to your right."

"What? I don't see it…" Ginny said, puzzled. She furrowed her brow as she tried to visualize it with her own hands.

Draco rolled his eyes and stood up and came over to Ginny's side. He kneeled down behind her, touching her elbows, moving her arms out. Draco's arms came around hers, his hands forming the letters next to her perplexed ones.

"Oh my goodness! That's so easy!" Ginny cried happily, turning her head back to look at him. He smiled back at her, quite surprised and pleased that he actually done something right. It was then that he realized he was mere centimeters from her face and just how close they were to each other. Her body was nearly flush against his. Draco could see the gold flecks in her brown eyes, just how long her dark eyelashes were, and how full her lush pink lips were. They both paused in silence, unsure of what was happening or what to do. Draco felt his heart beat faster and hands getting slightly sweaty. He abruptly moved back and stood up, breaking their close physical contact.

"Well, um, Weasley, it's uh, getting late," Draco stammered uncomfortably, absently rubbing his neck. He started backing away towards the door. "I should be getting to bed."

"…Right," Ginny said vacantly, looking every bit as confused as he felt at that very moment.

Draco took that as his cue to quickly leave the room without looking like he was running. Unwilling to think about recent events in detail, he opted to Apparate back to his room rather than over analyze everything on his walk back.

As he climbed back into bed, the earliest rays of the suns were beginning to burst through the clouds. He regretted deciding to get out of bed now. How was he supposed to sleep after all of _that? _He pulled one of the pillows from underneath his head and put it on top of his head in frustration. He had a very peculiar feeling in his stomach. Draco Malfoy did not like it one bit. Not at all.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I'm going to keep any notes I have at the bottom from now on. If you see any chapters get updated, they're only done so because I may revise them for grammatical/spelling errors to ensure clarity. Glad you guys liked the last chapter and hoped you enjoyed this one!


	6. Waltz

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Harry Potter, or anything that looks like it's from somewhere else. It all belongs to J.K. Rowling and all of the other entities that own it.

**six. waltz.**

The next evening, Ginny sat nervously chewing her bottom lip in anticipation. The results from that week's exams were going to be posted at any minute and she was getting anxious. She felt she had done very well, even down to the practical part of the exam, but didn't want to overestimate herself. Ginny was surprised that Draco's tips were actually useful, as much as she hated to admit it. She felt relaxed and calm under pressure for once while taking the exam.

She had gotten so lost in her thoughts that she barely heard Lena call out to her. Lena had already gotten out of her seat, but quickly turned out around when Ginny didn't follow. "Gin, come on! The grades have been posted!"

Ginny quickly shot out of the chair and followed her towards the bulletin board across from the billiards table. A crowd had already formed in front of the parchment, blocking her vision. She hopped up and down impatiently, trying to get a glimpse of the results. She huffed irritably while people continued to take their sweet time in front of the board. It was a horrible combination being short and having your name at the very bottom of the list. Eventually, she gave up trying to be polite and elbowed her way through the crowd.

Her finger ran down the list until she came across her name:

_Weasley, Ginevra…_ O

Her eyes grew incredibly large, unable to believe what she just read. Not only had she done well, but she had done impeccably well. For some reason, Narcissa chose to use the O.W.L. grading system as her rubric. She much preferred seeing "Outstanding" as opposed to "Dreadful," or worse, "Troll". It added insult to injury by being given a troll mark, since they were infamously dumb creatures. She squealed in delight and happily skipped back to Lena.

"You are never going to believe this," she said, excitedly. "But I actually got good marks for once!"

"Really? That's great!" Lena replied happily returning her enthusiasm.

"I got an Outstanding!" she cried. "I'm that much closer to getting those Galleons. I can't believe it!" She slumped in relaxation into the armchair.

"So it seems like Draco's mentoring actually helped?" Lena said with a knowing smile.

"Yeah, I guess so," Ginny said begrudgingly. She was surprised at the different side of Draco Malfoy she had seen last night. He could actually be helpful and decent, when he wanted, in his own way. It was the first time Draco truly acted like a normal human being towards her, and she still wasn't sure what to make of that. Had she really let her own pride and old grudge get the best of her? Isn't that what she was fighting against here at the Conservatory? No one else was giving her the benefit of the doubt so how could she have done that to Malfoy? She felt like a hypocrite. Ginny knew she needed to make amends for her mistakes.

Ginny supposed that her pride was her tragic flaw. She was good at giving help but not good at receiving or seeking it out. It was only out of delirium that Ginny had entertained Draco's offer of assistance seriously. She needed to learn to accept people's help and let new people into her life. Ginny had been so busy trying to prove herself to everyone and to herself that it seemed that she had forgotten that you need people on the path to success. Besides, if Draco Malfoy was willing to put aside his ego in order to strengthen their partnership, how could she not? He was the most prideful person she knew, hands down. It seemed that it was time to put aside her own pride and turn over a new leaf.

"I suppose I should thank him…" Ginny started, trailing off. But how? She still didn't know that much about Draco to figure out how to give him a personal token of gratitude. He liked Quidditch, but most people she knew enjoyed Quidditch.

"Lena, if you were thanking Blaise, what would you do?" she inquired, leaning over the arm of the chair towards her friend.

"Well… uh…" Lena sputtered, her cheeks flushing. "You know…"

Judging from her friend's reaction, Ginny had a very good idea as to how Lena would 'thank' Blaise. "Oh, Merlin, no way!" she shouted a little too loudly in disgust, causing her to earn a few stares from her classmates.

"Forget I asked," Ginny grumbled, unable to get the disturbing image of herself and Draco snogging out of her head.

* * *

><p>That night, back up in her room, Ginny walked in circles, nearly creating an indent into the rug as she continued. Lena had fallen asleep after bouncing ideas around with her for an hour and a half. She tried to think of a way to apologize to Draco and truly make amends. A verbal apology didn't seem enough; she wanted to show her gratitude. Slowly, a light bulb went off in her head. A couple of hours later, she was pacing in front of Draco and Blaise's room in her night robe and slippers. She was surprised she was able to walk into the men's quarters so easily, having seen a couple getting reprimanded for cohabiting very early into the program. No one had dared to try and test Narcissa's boundaries again.<p>

Ginny took a couple of deep breaths. Eventually gathering up the courage to face Draco, she nervously rapped on the bedroom door.

"Ah, Weasley," Blaise greeted, leaning on the opened door. "You just happened to be on a late night stroll and decided to drop by for a visit?"

"Where's Malfoy?" She demanded. She tried to peer over Blaise's shoulder but couldn't see the blond anywhere.

"You wound me, Weasley. Here I thought you were here to see me," Blaise said with a pout. "What do you want with Draco anyway? He's not as fun as I am."

"Because I have something to say to him, and, well, it's between us," she answered, awkwardly twiddling her thumbs with her hands clasped.

Blaise looked at her puzzled, but brushed it aside. "He's in his wing."

"I'm sorry, did you say WING?" Ginny repeated, unsure if she heard right.

"Indeed, I did."

"The sodding git has his own wing?! How is that fair? He couldn't even stick it out with us common folk?"

"I for one am anything but common," Blaise corrected before continuing. "His mum did tell him he's supposed to stay here but he Apparates there every night after hours and comes back in the morning."

"So, do you know where this wing is," she asked irritably.

"And if I do?" he replied, crossing his arms defiantly.

"You better take me there," she demanded again.

"And… what do I get out of it?" Blaise pressed. Upon seeing her narrowing eyes, he said, "Look, Slytherins rarely do anything for purely altruistic reasons."

"Fine," Ginny said shortly, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Tomorrow evening, you can spend time with Lena on our balcony, in private." Mrs. Malfoy wasn't pleased about co-eds being in each other's rooms, but she never said anything about them being _outside _of their room.

"Done," Blaise swiftly responded, offering his hand out. She briskly shook it before pulling him out of the room.

She followed Blaise up a flight or two of stairs and a corridor, when she said out of breath in effort to keep up with his longer legs, "Why can't we just Apparate to his wing?"

"You can't just Apparate in Malfoy Manor," Blaise stated, sounding eerily like Hermione.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "For Godric's sake, this isn't bloody Hogwarts!" She turned left as Blaise had just done.

"Only people that the Malfoys have given permission to can Apparate in and out," Blaise explained as the stopped in front of a brand new corridor she had never seen before. Where did it come from?

"Hang on, why didn't I see this before? I swear I've been on this floor before when I got lost," Ginny asked confusedly.

"Because it's only visible to those who are given permission to see it," he answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"These Malfoys are paranoid, aren't they?" Ginny griped.

Blaise shrugged. "Before you're able to enter, you have to hop on two feet three steps forward, walk backwards five steps, and then waddle like a penguin."

"_What?_" Ginny said incredulously.

"Don't ask me. Malfoys make up strange rules," Blaise said, putting his hands up as a surrender.

Ginny eyed him distrustfully for a few moments before letting out a deep sigh. If this is what it would take, then so be it. "Of all the ridiculous things…" Ginny grumbled. She proceeded to hop on her two feet like a rabbit three steps forward, walk backwards five steps, and then waddled around like a penguin. While she was still waddling, Blaise proceeded to walk into the wing.

Dropping her arms, she hollered, "HEY! Why didn't you have to do it?!"

"Oh, all of that was hogwash," Blaise smirked with a wave of his hand. "I just wanted to see if you would do it."

"ZABINI!" Ginny yelled, her hands now on her hips. Before she could get another word in, Blaise quickly ran off down the corridor and out of sight.

She slowly tip-toed down the corridor. She saw a door ajar with the light spilling out onto the marble floor in the darkness. Peering in, Ginny realized it was a study. She didn't see anyone inside of it. Debating on whether to knock on another door or go in, her curiosity eventually won out.

Ginny pushed the door open to walk into a gorgeous study. A brightly lit fireplace was crackling in the middle of the room, enveloping the room with its warmth. A comfortable leather sofa was positioned across from it. All of the shelves were made of an exquisite dark mahogany. They were filled with books of all sizes and widths. She quickly got closer to the nearest shelf and was amazed to see the wide breadth of his collection. The common room had a reading nook the class was allowed to peruse during their downtime but it was nowhere near as extensive or expensive as Draco's personal collection.

There was everything from Lord Byron to Miranda Goshawk to James Joyce, as her fingers trailed along the book spines. "I didn't know it was possible to own the entire English canon of literature," she breathed in awe. It seemed like he had a little bit of everything.

She moved a couple of feet forward and saw a large wooden desk with a pile of parchments all over it. They seemed to be various documents and contracts from what Ginny could make out. She was surprised that Malfoy actually had responsibilities outside of himself. Come to think of it, she wasn't really sure that he had a job until that very moment. She stopped upon a large globe resting on the left-hand corner of the desk. The magical globe depicted actual figures moving all over the world, so to speak. She spun it, letting her finger trail along until it landed on a random country. Ginny remembered doing this as a child, deciding that whatever country she landed on would be one of the many places she wanted to see in the world. She landed on Peru, and to her surprise upon touching it on the globe, visuals of the country started to appear in front of her eyes.

Ginny was mesmerized by the picturesque scenes of Machu Picchu that she barely noticed that Malfoy was quietly standing in the doorway. When she heard a voice clearing his throat, she knocked over the globe, fumbling as she managed to catch it before it hit the floor.

Draco was still in his clothes from earlier that day, only he looked a bit more disheveled. His crisp white oxford shirt that clung to his body was half tucked into his pants and his sleeves were rolled up past his elbows while he was walking around in black socks. His hair wasn't coiffed neatly to the side, but rather tousled. It was so strange seeing Malfoy look anything less than perfect. Everything was always tucked in at the right places and properly pressed. It was really kind of adorable, Ginny thought, her arms still around the globe. No, adorable wasn't the right word, when she noticed how nice and strong his arms looked as he stood there once again, arms crossed in the doorway. Ginny briefly wondered what it would feel like wrapped up in their embrace. She nearly dropped the globe once again upon that realization.

"H-Hi…" Ginny stammered lamely as she freed herself of the globe by setting it back on the table.

"Hi?" Draco echoed, eyebrow raised and signature smirk in place.

"Or, well, I guess good night since it's night… Or, rather, good morning since it's past midnight…" Ginny rambled nervously.

"How did you even find my wing, anyway?" Draco inquired, still looking amused at the incoherent Weasley before him, one who was usually quick-tongued.

"Well, I tried to go to the room you're SUPPOSED to be in, but Blaise pointed me in the right direction," she responded.

"Zabini," Malfoy muttered with a sigh. "So, what do you want?"

"Oh, nothing…." Ginny said, her right arm across her body, awkwardly rubbing her left elbow. This was going to be harder than she thought.

"You clearly came here for a specific reason, I assume?" Draco asked, stepping into the study. She backed away out of habit but paused when he instead moved towards the sofa and proceeded to lounge on it.

"Yeah… I did," she said lamely.

"Well, out with it then!" Draco demanded, but without any malice.

"So, you know how we received our scores today, right?" Ginny started, pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace. "Well, I did pretty bloody amazing. I mean, I got an outstanding. That's never happened before! And, well, I really hate admitting this but…"

"But…" Draco pressed, seemingly unsure as to where this was going.

"I wanted to say thank you and sorry!" Ginny blurted out. "Sorry for being such a prat that I couldn't even take advice from you in the beginning. And I'm sorry for maiming you on multiple occasions… even if you did deserve it. It's just been so difficult for me to adjust to all of these weird rules. And I'm a bit stubborn, as you've realized by now." Ginny heaved a huge sigh. "There! I did it."

"You… _what_?" Draco said, sitting up in surprise.

"You heard me, Malfoy. Don't make me say it twice," Ginny said with a pout. "And well, I want to call a truce. I think we can at least act like we're sort of friends? Or acquaintances? Oh, I don't know what the right term would be." she proposed. "You know, just to get through this and all." She figured the addendum was necessary for such a peculiar proposal between rivals.

Draco said nothing for several minutes, looking like he was weighing his options while staring into the fire. He then got up and put his arm out to shake Ginny's hand. Instead, Ginny grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the room.

"What in Salazar's name are you doing, Weasley?" Draco asked, trailing behind her.

"Ugh!" Ginny cried in frustration. "Just… Come on!"

* * *

><p>And that was how a robed Draco Malfoy, now clad in his slippers and nightwear was standing next to an eager Ginny Weasley in the kitchens. He had no idea how he had gotten into this situation. One minute he was just walking by his study and the next minute he was down in the kitchens. He wasn't sure what was happening but his eyes brightened at the sight of chocolate fudge sitting on the island. Perhaps it wasn't unwise letting Weasley drag him down here after all.<p>

"Ta-da!" Ginny said proudly, gesturing to the treat before him. She levitated two pub stools over along with two goblets of milk.

"Weasley, I had no idea you wanted to run away with me... but you lead me to the kitchens of all places?" Draco asked, bewildered.

"What do you mean?" Ginny looked at him perplexed.

"You can let go of my hand now, you know," Draco indicated by looking down. Ginny looked down in the same direction and saw that her hand was still very much in his. She blushed and quickly slipped her smaller hand out of his.

"Well, I wanted us to start off our truce right. And you know... a way to a man is a way to his stomach," Ginny explained, taking a seat on one of the pub stools. He took a seat cautiously next to her at the island.

"How did you know I like chocolate fudge?" He cautiously picked up one, gingerly taking a bite.

"I didn't," she admitted. "I just figured, if I liked it you would like it."

"It's actually my favorite," he replied. Draco was impressed by how delicious it was. Chocolatey and gooey but not to the point where it was overly sweet. After his seventh one, he quietly said, "This is actually not bad. Didn't know you were skilled in Cooking Charms."

"Cooking Charms, Cleaning Charms, you name it. I could do a Scouring Spell in my sleep by fourteen," Ginny explained. "I was actually hoping I could put those skills to use during one of these lessons, but it doesn't seem like many of these witches actually tend to their house,"

He laughed at the thought of his mother trying to clean. "Almost every house has a helper or house elf."

They fell into a pleasant silence. Out of the blue, she said, "You know, Ron and Hermione had their first kiss in the kitchens at Hogwarts. How unromantic is that?"

Draco began choking on his fudge, and she rushed to hand him a glass of milk. "Cor, Weasley! Are you trying to make me sick on my mother's spotless floors?"

"I was just trying to make conversation!" Ginny exclaimed, her cheeks flushing

"You really think visual images of your brother sucking face with Granger was the way to do it?" He inhaled his milk. "If we leave a spot on this floor, my mother will throw a conniption."

"I didn't peg you as a momma's boy, Malfoy." she commented, smirking.

"I am not!" he retorted. "It's just more effort to have to go against the things she wants. I'd rather not constantly argue with her. Besides, I'm pretty much all she has... and vice versa."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to sound so harsh," she apologized with a guilty expression on her face. "So it's just you and your mum living here at the Manor?"

"I got a flat recently in downtown London, but I go back and forth between the Manor and my place. The place is rather barren, really, since I haven't had time to properly move in. Plus, I have to tend to the Manor and all of the entities of the Estate with her," Draco explained, as he went back to eating more fudge.

"You actually work?" Ginny asked with raised eyebrows.

"Yes!" Draco responded, the slightest bit of coloring coming to his face. "I don't just sit around and lounge all day."

"I would do that if my family made the _Wizarding Forbes'_ list every year," she said as she dug into the fudge as well.

"So, you read about me, eh, Weasley?" Draco asked with a grin.

"No!" Ginny said fiercely. "My brother Percy is always giving me these unnecessary magazines to read. And I thought that that rag was perfect to line Arnold's cage with."

"And yet you still knew I was on the list, despite not reading it?" Draco pressed, pointing out the flaw in her argument.

"Well, your photograph didn't react well to being sat on by a Pygmy Puff," Ginny replied with a chortle.

"And rightly so! My photographs do not deserve to be lining some beast's cage! They ought to be framed, those works of art," Draco huffed, popping another piece of fudge. The plate was already half empty. He better slow down and try to ration it, he thought to himself.

Draco decided to switch topics. "I know why I'm here, so how did a Weasley like yourself end up here?"

With a deep breath, Ginny launched into the whole tale of her grandmother's will and the stipulations along with her reasoning for being here. "I guess I just really feel the need to prove to my family that I can make it on my own," she said, pausing before concluding. "Except, that's kind of my problem. I had gotten so used to feeling the need to do everything on my own that to accept anyone's help, not just yours, has become alien at this point… Which is why I wanted to make amends and start our partnership anew."

Draco digested this information thoughtfully over some fudge. It was refreshing to meet a woman who had other interests rather than marriage or one that wasn't after his own money. But he couldn't very well tell her _that._ Even if they had turned over a leaf, he wasn't ready to go that far with her.

"So, what you're telling me is… you're in it for the money?" Draco quipped, but without any malice.

"Well, when you say it like that I sound like every other bint in this place!" Ginny cried. "I assure you I am not."

"How else would you phrase it, then?" Draco challenged.

"While many of the other women here are seeking _others'_ fortunes, I am merely here to gain what is rightfully mine. Completely different," Ginny responded with a sense of finality. She really knew how to weasel herself out of a situation, Draco observed.

Ginny yawned largely and looked at the clock mounted on the wall atop some cabinets. It was nearly three in the morning. She hopped off the stool and cleared the kitchen with several waves of her wand. In a flash, the kitchen was just as spotless as it always was.

"Well, I better get to bed, it's pretty late," Ginny said tiredly. She took one last piece of fudge for the road back to her bedroom.

"Goodnight, Draco," Ginny said with a genuine smile and walked out.

* * *

><p>That Monday afternoon, Ginny enjoyed her lunch jovially. She hadn't this pleasant of a weekend in a while. It felt like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders after making amends with Draco. She no longer felt the same level of stress she had since she started the program. It finally felt like there was some hope and a light at the end of the tunnel now that they were no longer at each other's throats.<p>

"I still refuse to believe you just ate chocolate with Draco the other night," Lena said with a smirk.

"Why?" Ginny replied, bewildered.

"Because you can't seem to get that dreamy smile off of your face," Lena replied.

"I'm telling you the truth!" Ginny protested, dropping the smile plastered on her face. "For the last time, there is nothing going on. We're just partners, that's all."

"Whatever you say," Lena said, clearly not believing a word her friend was saying.

Ginny frowned and was once again about to launch into an in-depth explanation, but just then a tan colored owl swooped down, making a loop-de-loop before delivering a letter for Ginny, saving Lena from Ginny's endless rebuttal. She recognized it as Pigwidgeon, more affectionately known as Pig. Once as big as a Snitch, now Pig was about as large as a Bludger. The bird eagerly perched itself on her shoulder, expectantly waiting for a treat. After fishing around in her bag, her hand eventually returned with a reward for the hyper owl. Pig ruffled his feathers and quickly ascended towards the tall ceiling, swiftly flying off into the afternoon sky. She ripped open the envelope and unfolded the parchment, quickly recognizing Hermione's neat cursive:

_Ginny, _

_I'm really glad to hear that your experience at the Conservatory is improving. At least Malfoy isn't torturing you anymore! I know it's odd hearing it from me, but after my experiences at the Muggle Institute, Malfoy's really come around. Of course, he's no saint but he seems really determined to run his family's estate. Must be a lot of responsibility to take on since his mother's only with him…_

Ginny felt a strange pang of sadness for Malfoy. The more she thought about it, the more it was true. The Malfoys had very little family left. Lucius was gone, and they were never close with any of the remaining Blacks, many of whom were deceased. She couldn't recall any living Malfoy in Britain, or she surely would have been blessed with their snobbish ways too. It was weird to think that someone had such few loved ones in their life when she had so many and kept growing with her large family. Ginny sighed as she continued to skim through the letter:

…_hope you're coming to Ron and mine's engagement celebration in a couple of weeks at the Burrow! I do hope Malfoy's mother will let you come home for the occasion. The whole family will be getting together._

_Well, I must be heading out now. Kingsley wants to meet with me to discuss a possible shift to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement! Ron and I will finally be in the same department again._

_- Hermione_

_P.S. Ron says hullo; he's currently wolfing down some eggs. He said he's not especially pleased with you having to interact with Malfoy. He recommends always being on your guard and be ready to hex him at a moment's notice. Perhaps, Ronald should be sending you his own letter himself! _

Ginny laughed at the end of the letter. It was just like Hermione to get easily miffed by Ron's actions. She was happy that the two of them had finally made things official by taking the next step forward in their relationship by getting engaged. However, she felt slightly annoyed that Ron was being his usual overprotective self. She had taken care of herself for several years now, and she had been managing just fine with Draco.

The gong resounded through the halls, indicating that it was time for this week's lessons to begin. She folded the parchment back up and put it in the envelope, throwing it into her book bag along with everything else.

* * *

><p>That day they convened in the grand ballroom. However, rather than seeing elaborate displays or stations for the class to work at, there was nothing to be found. The ballroom was completely empty, save for the marble that covered the floor, the gorgeous ionic columns that held it up, and the students that were currently occupying it.<p>

They stood in a crowd, expectantly looking at Narcissa for today's explanation. Once they had quieted down, she addressed the crowd. Muttering _Sonorous_, Narcissa began the introduction for the day. "Good afternoon, class. I am sure you've figured out by now today's lesson after a brief history of ballroom dance from this morning."

So that was why Mrs. Malfoy had told everyone to wear their formal shoes, Ginny realized, looking down at her own feet. She was wearing four inch high heels, ones that she had not worn since Percy's wedding a year and a half ago. As a Healer, she didn't have much opportunity to wear fancy, insensible shoes to work, thus leaving Ginny out of practice in maneuvering around in heels.

"We will be learning the waltz," Narcissa announced. However, that wasn't all as she continued: "And this week will consist of two lessons…"

A groan went through the crowd, including out of Ginny's mouth. _Was the woman mad?!_

"…because you all will be attending the Mulieres Vigniti Octo Cotillion this weekend, putting all of the skills gleaned from this week to the ultimate test. The MVO Cotillion is a dance designed to introduce the younger generation to the etiquette and culture of high society. As such, you all will be chaperoning and be the shining example for the young attendees."

Now Ginny was intrigued. A dance? Something actually fun? Maybe the woman did know what she was doing after all.

"As such, I will first be demonstrating the classic waltz and we will then begin practicing," said Narcissa. She looked through the crowd as if searching for her next victim. She eventually zeroed in on one individual that wasn't paying attention.

"Ah, Mister Fawley, how kind of you to volunteer for the demonstration," Mrs. Malfoy said loudly enough for Maxwell to turn his head in surprise. Sulkily, he made his way through the crowd and up towards Narcissa.

"Now, as the male, you will be leading the dance," Narcissa told him. He gingerly took her hand and placed his other at the small of her back. A few of the young men sniggered, and Max scowled at them as Narcissa turned her focus to explaining where a woman was to place her hands. Before beginning, Narcissa swished her wand, and suddenly the room was filled with the music of a classical symphony. Maxwell led her in a simple waltz, creating a box on the floor.

Once the demonstration was over, Max quickly let go of Narcissa to rush back and join the crowd. "Now that you have seen how the waltz is done, it is time to practice with your partner."

Ginny made her way over to Draco slowly. He stood there looking like the epitome of grace and poise. She felt clumsy shuffling in her long forgotten footwear. Good thing she was getting necessary practice time walking around in her heels, she surmised. Upon getting closer, she noticed that he also was in his formal footwear, except he still had at least four inches over her in height.

Draco bowed in front of her, offering his hand to dance. Ginny returned the gesture, gathering her skirt and curtseying. It was all too much for Ginny apparently, as she stifled a chuckle as she accepted Draco's hand. She couldn't help but notice how nicely her hand fit into his, and how broad his shoulders were as she placed her free hand on it. And she was right, his arm around her at the waist _did _feel quite nice.

"Well, aren't you excited to touch me?" Draco said with a grin in response to her laugh.

"Not really," Ginny said airily. Complete and utter lie. She decided that it was best to make her unsettling thoughts about Draco disappear and quickly.

"I can't say I'm very fond of the waltz, actually. I haven't done it since the third year," Ginny explained as they began to sway to the music. She followed Draco's lead as they slowly formed a box on the dance floor. They moved surprisingly easily in sync. It also helped that it seemed like Draco knew what he was doing.

"You mean at that dinky Yule Ball?" Draco asked, wrinkling his nose.

"You cannot call that ball dinky," Ginny chided. "It was gorgeous!" Ginny remembered just how excited she was when she got asked to the Ball, picking out her dress, and practicing her dance moves in anticipation for the evening. It was an especially pleasing feat seeing as fourth years and above were only allowed to go unless they asked someone in another year. She was the envy of her friends at the time.

"You have not been to enough Balls, Weasley," Draco replied.

"Regardless of the quality of that Ball, I hate the waltz. I've had a few too many toes stepped on to last me a lifetime," Ginny recalled.

"Who did you go to the Yule Ball with anyway?"

Ginny braced herself for his reaction as she said, "Neville."

It was Draco's turn to laugh. "No wonder your image of the waltz has been tainted! That oaf has two left feet. I honestly don't know how Longbottom functions in life." He maneuvered Ginny so they were moving around the floor, still in the box formation. Her feet had barely gotten used to moving in the singular box, but with his lead, she began to understand which way to turn her feet to turn left or right.

"Hey! He's not an oaf!" Ginny cried in defense of her friend. "And he was fourteen!"

"What does age have to do with it? I mastered this at eight but you don't see me boasting about it," Draco scoffed.

"You just did," she pointed out.

Rather than respond, Draco chose that moment to twirl Ginny. He accomplished this move with ease, and she couldn't help but enjoy herself as her long skirt twirled along with her as she spun.

Narcissa had passed by, for once giving them both a neutral look. Ginny wasn't sure what that meant, but she figured that was a mark of improvement from her prior disapproving looks and seemingly long paragraphs in her notebook.

They continued move around the ballroom in a comfortable silence, enjoying the music. She slowly realized just how close she was to Draco Malfoy. She could smell the pleasant fragrance of his cologne, just like she had the other night when he had tutored her on place settings. Her brown eyes looked into whirling pools of mercury. It was fascinating how the shade of gray seemed to shift depending on his mood and time of day.

"Stop that thing with your eyes," Ginny blurted out, speaking her thoughts out loud.

"What thing?" Draco asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That swirling, piercing thing!" She responded irritably. He knew very well what he was doing!

"Excuse me?" Draco said, mystified.

"It's like looking into an endless pool!" Ginny said exasperatedly. "I know you're using some type of glamour charm. Stop it."

"I believe the twirling has swirled _your _brains," Draco said, looking at the red-head warily.

She was about to retort with a quip for his weak remark, but just then music stopped, indicating that the exercise was over. He let go of her hand and removed himself from her. Ginny couldn't help but feel a little disappointed at no longer being next to him. She willed every fiber of her being to realize that it was just the lack of male companionship that made her feel this way. Yup, that's exactly what it was.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please a review on your way out. :)


	7. Beauty

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Harry Potter, or anything that looks like it's from somewhere else. It all belongs to J.K. Rowling and all of the other entities that own it.

**seven. beauty.**

On Thursday morning, Draco took his new spot across from Ginny at the dining table. It seemed that part of their truce meant eating meals together, as they had the past several days. Meals had been relatively peaceful with no disruptions from the other girls in the class, probably because Narcissa would randomly join the class for meals, unannounced.

They fell into an easy rhythm, finding a myriad of things to talk about and participating in playful banter rather than mean-spirited bickering. It was a refreshing change from conversing with his mates. Ginny had an opinion on everything, and it was often different than his, but it was fascinating to hear her impassioned tirades and rants, depending on the topic. She actually listened to what he had to say as well, whether it was during their new study sessions or over a meal. It was incredibly new to Draco to openly converse about such loaded topics such as politics with a woman who could hold her own in nearly any subject. While they spent a lot of their time at the Conservatory together during classes, they now they interacted without the obligation of an exercise.

Part of Draco was still surprised that Ginny brave enough to call a truce between them. While he wasn't surprised by the courageousness, as it was a typical Gryffindor trademark, he was surprised that she admitted to her faults. From his experience, many a Gryffindor refuse to acknowledge their own wrongdoings. It mildly impressed him, he had to admit to himself, though he would never dare tell her, even under Veritaserum.

He noticed this morning as he was mulling over his Belgian waffles about their strange relationship that Ginny was talking animatedly to Lena, who was sitting next to her. Her face was lit up and her brown eyes were shimmering with excitement. She was not modelesque, but she was definitely attractive. The dust of sprinkles across her face highlighted her large eyes and nose. The dark circles were beginning to disappear from under her eyes and she looked much more pleasant sans scowl. Ginny looked much more at ease and relaxed as it seemed she was beginning to come into her own, as if she was in her element. What was most striking about her was her hair, Draco decided. That hue of red looked so much better on a female Weasley as opposed to the male species. He briefly wondered if it was as soft and silky as it looked. _Snap out of it, Malfoy!_ Malfoys do not openly drool over women, especially completely confusing women like Ginny Weasley. Except when there were those moments when he was a little too close for her. Draco could almost feel some kind of magnetic pull between them. Even during the waltz the other day, he couldn't help but notice how easily they fit together.

"Draco? Draco?" Blaise called out. "Malfoy?"

"Huh?" Draco said, snapping out of his thoughts, quickly turning to his friend.

"I've been asking you to pass me the syrup for about three minutes now," Blaise said with a lopsided grin. "But, you were clearly too busy thinking about something… or someone." With a flit of his eyes, he gestured towards Ginny.

"I was not," Draco muttered, quickly shoving the syrup into Blaise's hands.

He reluctantly came back to reality, rejoining the conversation once again. Ginny was speaking so fast, he could barely keep up with what she was saying. "...Cotillion is going to be so much fun!" Draco overheard Ginny saying to Lena as they kept babbling about the weekend's upcoming function.

"I know! We finally get to do something for once. And it'll be interesting to see little kids doing what we have to do," Lena replied, her eyes alight with mirth.

"You know why we're forced to go to Cotillion, right?" Draco solemnly asked the girls. Both of them shook their heads.

"Because we're basically chaperoning the little morons. I'm pretty sure half of the things my mother and her group has made us do is an excuse for us to babysit the younger children so they mothers are free of them," Draco explained nonchalantly. "Just ask Blaise."

Blaise gasped but then shuddered, as if suddenly remembering some repressed memory. "See?" Draco gestured toward his mate. "It's completely traumatizing."

"Don't let those smiling faces deceive you. I have the scars from chaperoning at Quidditch boot camp to prove it," Blaise warned them, wagging a finger.

"You left out a key detail, Blaise," Draco said to his friend. He put his hand up against his mouth, as if blocking his words out from Blaise, whispering loudly. "A couple of six year old girls got the best of him." The girls laughed at Blaise's misery. If only were they there to witness the incident would they truly understand the gravity of Blaise's trauma.

"Please!" Ginny brushed them off. "It can't be that bad, even if we are babysitting a bunch of kids. Besides, at least we get to go shopping!" Her enthusiastic smile made her look younger than her years.

"Just you wait until what my mother has in store for you," Draco warned. "You'll be regretting your excitement in a couple of hours."

Just as Ginny opened her mouth to inquire, the gong clanged, signaling that the morning's lessons were about to begin. The foursome gathered their things and made their way to the classroom together, the girls continually questioning just what on earth could be happening today that could be that excruciating.

* * *

><p>After lunch, Ginny, along with the other girls, anxiously grabbed onto a part of the large curtain rod that was the Portkey into Diagon Alley. She felt the familiar pull at her navel as the Manor disappeared in front of her. Everyone congregated into Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. It appeared that Narcissa had rented out the entire store for the class, as Madam Malkin had been anticipating the arrival of the group. The squat witch greeted all of them warmly, dressed in her shimmering mauve robes.<p>

The shop had been cleared to make room for the class to sit. Lined up along with Mrs. Malfoy was her trusty assistant Kendra, Madam Malkin, and several sales associates. Narcissa led the introduction to the class. "Today we will be preparing you all to look your best for this weekend's event. You will all be receiving advice in regards to fashion and beauty. I will be assisting the women while Kendra will assist the men. We will also be heading over to the hair salon in Hogsmeade after this, so prepare for a long day."

An hour and a half later, Ginny began to realize what Draco had meant about the women getting the shorter end of the stick. Her head was supported by her hand while her elbow rested on her knee. She nearly teetered over in her drowsiness when she noticed Draco and Blaise coming out of the curtain on their side of the store. The boys gave Ginny knowing smirks, while she returned them a very irritated scowl.

As they excited the store, she sighed, looking longingly at the door. Lena had gone in, and there were a couple of witches still before her. Curse my last name, once again, Ginny thought to herself. One would assume that she should have gotten used to being last due to her last name as well as being the youngest sibling, but Ginny was quite the impatient person. And she was getting hungry to boot. Just as she made up her mind to head over to Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour to grab herself an ice cream sundae, she heard Narcissa call out, "Weasley, Ginevra."

Ginny shot up from her seat, stretching her stiff joints. Warily, she walked beyond the curtain, unsure of what was to come. Before her was a three way mirror, her image reflecting back to her. One of the assistants that wasn't flitting about the room motioned for her to step onto the podium in front of the mirror. Narcissa stood to the right of her with a big rack of clothes along with Madam Malkin. The store owner walked over and began to take her measurements. The measurement tape floated in the air and wrapped around Ginny numerous times taking in her various measurements. She promptly handed the sizes off to her assistants who ran off in different directions to compile the proper fitting clothing. The two were quietly going through the dresses, apparently trying to decide what would be the best fit for Ginny. Narcissa and Madam Malkin immediately started sorting through the clothes, dissecting the clothing rack by throwing out different garments. The assistants quickly grabbed the garments that kept flying up in the air, quickly Banishing them back to their proper storage spaces.

Ginny chose to steal a glance at herself in the mirror during the commotion. What Ginny saw before her made her sigh. Her borrowed dress from Hermione made her look slightly boxy as the other woman was taller and had a different body shape. Ginny's heels from the waltz session were worn and a little rough around the edges. Her skin, though fair, lacked the healthy glow it had before, having spent so many hours indoors between studying for Healer exams and long training shifts.

There was a time when Ginny used to be more stylish, making do with what she could afford and combining it with hand me downs. Though in the last year or so, she had forgone that in exchange for the pursuit of her career. She figured it'd be better to save her money to move out into her own place along with any other unforeseen fees that she would have to pay. She spent more time studying and learning every single detail that other components of her life had gone to the backburner; another reason why she also hadn't had a date in a long time. She groaned. She was beginning to resemble Hermione, except only retaining her worst qualities.

Narcissa walked over to the mirror, stopping to stand in front of Ginny to give her a good look once over. Ginny felt even more shabby next to Narcissa, who in contrast looked very put together and was the personification of sophistication in her glossy golden robes and styled hair. The older woman took out her wand, gently tapping it into her other manicured hand, waiting for the right moment to give it a wave.

"Miss Weasley, may I ask where you got this dress from?" Narcissa asked calmly.

"Oh… I borrowed it from my brother's girlfriend," Ginny replied hesitantly. She wasn't sure if she was about to be chastised for her unfortunate article of clothing. "I don't really own semi-formal clothing since I just wear Healer's robes most days."

"Those robes are rather garish," Narcissa remarked, with a wrinkle of her nose. Ginny had to agree; the lime green robes clashed horribly with her red hair.

Narcissa waved her wand several times, and Ginny's dress transformed. She had altered it, shortening the length a little so it cut her at the right spot. The dress was brought in a little from the back, flattering her curvier figure. She looked slightly pleased as she came around to Ginny's side, allowing her student to look in the mirror.

"Miss Weasley, do yourself a favor and find clothes that flatter your shape. They'll do wonders for you," Mrs. Malfoy said as she walked back over to the rack. Ginny had to admit the dress looked way better now that it was suited for her, even if it was just a simple sleeveless navy dress.

One of the assistants moved the now finalized rack over to Ginny, and Narcissa handed her a dress to try on. The redhead disappeared behind the changing screen, quickly switching dresses. When she came out, neither Narcissa nor Madam Malkin looked content.

"The dress cuts her at a strange length; it makes her look _even_ shorter," Narcissa criticized, gesturing with a twirl of her finger to spin around, which Ginny happily obliged.

"And it's bunching up in the most awkward of places," Madam Malkin agreed squinting her eyes, her arms folded.

Ginny came to the mirror and saw she looked a couple of inches shorter and the dress strangely bunched up under her arms and near her bust. The color was also the wrong shade of yellow. It made her look sickly rather than making her look sprightly. Narcissa shoved another dress into Ginny's arms, and so it continued. She tried on several more dresses, each of them looking off in some way or another.

After the sixth dress, she came back to the podium to examine what the damage was. It fit well, perhaps too well. In Ginny's opinion, it left very little to the imagination. The straps were almost non-existent they were so thin, and her cleavage was daring to burst out of the dress. The length of the garment was also far too short for Ginny's liking, shorter than some of her pairs of shorts. Her face lightly flushed at the risqué outfit.

As if taking a cue from Ginny's expression, Narcissa lightly sighed and said, "While this silhouette is much more pleasing, it is not appropriate for this occasion." Ginny thanked the Gods silently; at least it seemed like she and Narcissa could agree on _some_ things.

Eventually, they settled on a burgundy pleated dress that fell just below her knees. Ginny liked the way it moved when she spin around, the material moving to and fro. She was quite pleased with the dress; it wasn't homely nor was it too flashy; just her style. It was probably one of the most expensive dresses she owned. One of the benefits of the Conservatory was that they were paying for all of the students' outfits and necessities, leaving Ginny guilt-free for once about buying something so frivolous. Narcissa didn't seem incredibly pleased by the choice but they had tried on over ten dresses in total until they compromised on this one. Once Ginny had changed back into her newly altered old dress, she was whisked away to the hair salon via Portkey.

* * *

><p>Upon arriving to the hair salon, Ginny saw they were right across from Honeydukes, meaning they were in Hogsmeade. Her stomach grumbled at the thought of grabbing a scrumptious chocolate bar or heading over to the Three Broomsticks for an early dinner. The salon, again was filled with her female peers, each sitting in a salon chair at a station. Hair was being magically cut, colored, and altered in length, depending on the situation. Others were busy getting manicures and pedicures along with any other beauty treatments that were needed. She felt a tug on her arm, and was guided to the last seat that was empty. The hairstylist, a man with blue-tinted glasses and a goatee, unraveled her braid and gently massaged out her hair. Her crimson wavy locks cascaded down halfway down her back as they fanned out down her crown.<p>

Mrs. Malfoy stopped by her station and instructed, "Giovanni, please show Miss Weasley here how to do something else with her hair besides a bun or plait," The man nodded and gathered his tools to begin his demonstration.

"You look like Professor McGonagall with that tight bun of yours," Narcissa chastised Ginny. She was about to reply back with a quick retort but wasn't given the opportunity as the older woman strolled away, checking on the progress of the other students. Ginny huffed. Her hair required a lot of maintenance and sometimes it was just easier to put it away for safe keeping.

With extravagant flourishes of his wand, her hair started to transform into different hairstyles. She felt her hair being pulled and teased in various directions, her head jerking along with the movements. As much as she wanted to slap the wand out of his hand to stop the torture, Ginny remained steadfast in trying to remain calm. First he pinned her hair up into a large voluminous beehive, which looked utterly ridiculous, not to mention heavy. Ginny could already feel it straining her neck. She scowled and he quickly transformed her locks into a fancy updo with an exorbitant amount of hairpins. Giovanni then flicked his wand and her hair transformed into very complicated looking curls.

When Mrs. Malfoy came back to check up on their task, her hair was transformed into a strange nest of curls and braids, flowers weaved through and sparkling lights that changed colors every several seconds. Ginny wondered how a man with no hair atop his own crown was considered such an expert on hair; she looked ridiculous.

"Giovanni! She looks like a Christmas tree!" Mrs. Malfoy nearly scowled as she reprimanded the hairstylist. _Thank Merlin,_ Ginny thought to herself in relief. She was afraid Narcissa would agree that this was the IT hairstyle of the week and that she just had to go looking like this to the dance.

"But Signora, this is all the rage in Milan!" Giovanni explained eagerly in his Italian accent.

Narcissa huffed in reply. "We are in England, are we not?"

"Technically Scotland at the moment, Signora," Giovanni said quietly.

"Bad move, Giovanni," Ginny muttered to no one in particular. Even stubborn Ginny Weasley had eventually learned that one should not cross Narcissa Malfoy.

Mrs. Malfoy gave the hairstylist a murderous look that made the grown man cower. Rather than hexing the goatee off of Giovanni, Narcissa instead moved onto the next station. "Instead of wasting time with these gaudy hairstyles, please help Miss Weasley select an _appropriate _hairstyle for the Cotillion tomorrow," Narcissa said stiffly before sauntering off to check on the others. Giovanni and Ginny eventually settled on a partial updo, combining the best of both worlds.

"What do you think Signorina Weasley?" Giovanni asked after twirling her chair back in the direction of the mirror.

"I love it!" Ginny exclaimed happily. It didn't make her look too old or dowdy like some of his earlier hairdos, and it didn't make her look like a little girl either.

"However," Giovanni started grimly. "We must do something about this red hair. I do not think Signora Malfoy would find this color suitable."

Juts when she was beginning to warm up the guy he had to muck it all up with that comment. Ginny gave him a glare and started in an angry tone, "There is no way in hell that yo-"

"Don't. Touch. A. Thing," Narcissa cut in. "This style is suitable. No further changes are needed as far as color or length goes."

Ginny blinked in surprise. A few weeks ago, Narcissa hated her the hue of her hair. Now, it seemed like she treasured it like no other. What was happening? Before she could continue to ponder this strange change of heart, she was being led around to several other stations around the salon to continue her primping and preening for tomorrow's event. Ginny eventually gave into the moment, enjoying the lavish treatments the students were receiving.

* * *

><p>It was finally the day of the Cotillion, and after lunch, many of the students decided to use the day to get prepared for the night's festivities, especially since it accounted for part of their exam they had sat through the previous day. Ginny herself had mentally prepared herself in order to use all of the spells the beauty salon had taught her and had generously allowed her to copy down on several rolls of parchment. While browsing through her lecture's notes for the proper attire, she came across a little point that Narcissa had mentioned. She supposed they ought to squeeze out every point they could while they still had the chance.<p>

She searched high and low for Draco, eventually finding him with his partner in crime, Blaise, in the common room. While several students comfortably lounging about in arm chairs, they were both standing facing the window, apparently enjoying the view. She rolled her eyes. Of course they had little to worry about in terms of getting dressed. It's not like they had to remember how to perform complicated hair, cosmetics, and other glamour charms.

Ginny started to make her way towards them, several pieces of parchment in her hand. "Draco," she began, as she was shuffling through the sheets. "I wanted to…" Her voice faded, however, as Draco turned around to look at her, all of her previous thoughts forgotten.

Draco looked annoyingly put together as usual. His hair was artfully styled, a casual shirt paired up with his khaki Quidditch pants, shin guards still attached to his footwear. Except, there on Draco's perfect, pale skin was a glaring black eye on his left side. Newly minted, it was turning ugly shades of blue and purple as the seconds ticked by.

"Blimey, Draco! What the hell did you do?" she demanded dropping her pieces of parchment, all thoughts forgotten.

"I got a bruise," he said simply.

"No shit you got a bruise! What'd you bloody go do that for? You know your mother expects us to look our best tonight!"

"Yes, because I went out and wished for this to happen to me," Draco countered sarcastically, wincing at the slow throbbing pain in his socket. Blaise sniggered in the background.

She quickly picked up the pieces of parchment, carelessly bunching them up in her palm. "I'm sure it didn't just magically happen to you. What exactly happened?" She put her hands on her hips, giving a fair impression of Molly Weasley.

"S'nothing. Just a pick-up game of Quidditch got rough," he tried to placate her inquiries, unwilling to meet her eyes.

"Did you decide to run into a Beater's bat? I know you weren't Hogwarts' top Seeker, but you can't be that daft."

"Second best," he corrected, now looking at her.

"No, _I_ was second best. I even beat Cho Chang to the snitch," Ginny replied smugly.

"That was just beginner's luck," Draco reasoned.

"Just settle for third best! I could've gone pro you know..." She shook her head realizing what he was doing. "Gods, Draco, you're derailing the conversation!"

"Quite surprisingly really, seeing as how he's been whinging about the shiner to anyone within earshot and getting on everyone's last nerves," Blaise quipped, entering the conversation.

Now Ginny was getting very irritated. There was no time for Draco to be his usual sneaky, difficult self when she had to start getting ready soon. "Alright Malfoy, you better tell me what's going on right now or you'll be looking like you're wearing rose colored glasses to the Cotillion tonight."

"So long as they're the right shade of pink to match my fair skin," Draco responded with a smirk.

"It was after the game," Blaise quipped. "What?" He looked blankly at Draco, who simultaneously hissed, "Shut up!"

He ignored his friend's empty threats and continued, "It was after the game. We were sitting by the pond past the pitch."

"Malfoy, you want to continue?" Ginny asked, expectantly tapping her foot.

"No," He grunted.

"It was a peacock." Blaise supplied.

Ginny gawked. "What?"

"It beaked me," Draco muttered, almost inaudibly.

"It beaked you? What do you mean 'it beaked' you?" She was utterly bewildered.

It was Draco's turn to roll his eyes. "Exactly like how it sounds. You ever interacted with one of those arseholes? They're quite the irritating prats."

"They must have learned it from their Master," Ginny shot back, absently feeling her robe pocket for her wand.

There was another snigger from Blaise. Ginny sighed, and pulled out her wand from the inside of her robe. "Indigo is not very becoming on you," she said as she inched closer to Draco to get a better look at his eye in order to fix the damage.

"Oi! What are you doing?" Draco asked uncertainly, unsure of what was happening.

"Will you quit whinging like a third year? You sound as bad as when that bloody bird pecked your arm off," Blaise cut in.

"Serves him right for insulting Buckbeak like that," Ginny added, her lips twitching upward.

"Excuse me?" Draco cried incredulously. "That beast dug its talons into me! Please stop making me relive painful memories." He closed his eyes for dramatic effect, as if they were truly causing him distress.

"You were whinging then and you're whinging now," Ginny said, moving over slightly so that she was now face to face with Draco. Who knew Draco Malfoy couldn't take pain like a man?

Delicately taking a hold of his chin with her hand before he could back away, she placed her wand up against his cheekbone near the bruise. "You ALWAYS seem to forget I'm actually an adept Healer." Murmuring a few words, the pain eventually subsided.

"There, now isn't that better?" She said smiling as she stepped back.

"I guess," Draco said gruffly.

"Not even a thank you?"

"Well it's still this awful shade of indigo," He stated, pointing to the unusual color on his face.

"Oh! I have just the thing for that!" Ginny said eagerly. She quickly muttered _Accio_ and a little round tin came floating over to her. Draco saw the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes logo and started to back away.

"Don't you dare put anything from your brothers' shop on my face! Are you trying to permanently scar me?!"

"Crikey, Draco! It's from their _WonderWitch_ line; it's actually a very useful bruise cream. They've gotten into so many accidents they needed to invent one. Now do you want your face back or not?" Ginny asked, opening the tin and rubbing a generous amount between her fingers.

She tried not to laugh as it seemed that Draco was fighting an internal battle with himself. His expressions shifted from doubt to panic to acceptance as he briefly considered whether or not he should trust any Weasley brothers' product, but it was clear that his face was more valuable. He gave a reluctant nod and Ginny gently applied it to his face. She softly blew on it to let it dry faster.

"Now see? That wasn't so bad," She said softly with a smirk. They blue circle around his eyes began to fade, his skin returning to its normal pale self. Draco said nothing, seemingly startled by the interaction.

"Now, stay away from those damn peacocks! You better be looking perfect tonight. I will not have your mother dock any more points from me in her evaluations." Before her partner could get another word in, she turned on her heel and headed upstairs to get ready for the evening.

* * *

><p>As she got back up into her room, Ginny noticed two figures walking by the small pond near the Quidditch Pitch from her expansive terrace window. She laughed and shook her head as she noticed the blond figure push the dark haired figure seamlessly into the body of water during their walk. He continued to stroll on as if nothing had happened.<p>

Ginny turned away when she noticed a box with a red bow sitting on the table. Seeing that the tag with her name on it, she quickly realized that her dress for the night had finally arrived.

"Hey Lena," Ginny called out to her roommate, who was in the bathroom. "When did these get here?"

"I suppose ten minutes before you came in," Lena called back. "Did you open it yet? Mine looks even better than I remember!"

Ginny considered opening the dress but quickly eyed the time. She needed to hop into the shower quickly so she would have enough time to get properly ready. As she soaked in the tub, the redhead briefly wondered what tonight would be like. It seemed bizarre to be going to a dance with her former arch enemy. Life was strange, Ginny had concluded with a deep sigh. They went from nearly destroying each other to kind of, sort of, being friends. As much as she wanted to continue to soak in the soothing bathtub and explore what else came out of the many taps of the large bath, Ginny hoisted herself out of the tub and into her bathrobe.

Sauntering back into the room clad in her robe and a wrapped towel atop her head, she pulled apart the bow and opened the box. Ginny was confused. As she lifted the dress out of the package, it was nothing like the one she had chosen yesterday. She looked back into the box; perhaps the actual dress was underneath this garment. However, the box was completely empty sans the wrong dress in her hands.

"I think they sent me the wrong dress!" Ginny cried. Would nothing ever go smoothly for her at Malfoy Manor?

Lena quickly scuttled into the room, her pale yellow dress still unzipped and hair half curled. Maybe Narcissa changed it?" She supplied hopefully. "Looks like she made a few adjustments to my dress as well."

"At least yours are just hems and stitches," Ginny pointed out with a frown. "This is not what I wanted to wear at all. It's totally the wrong color."

"I hate to break it to you but we've got little time to do anything else," Lena said solemnly. Ginny wanted to continue to pout like an immature child, but she knew her friend was right. She should have checked the box before hopping into the bath, but it was too late now.

"Why don't you at least try it on? It may just look better than the original," Lena proposed. "Besides, it really is a gorgeous dress."

She reluctantly agreed, dragging her feet as she headed into the dressing room. Lena went back to getting ready, and just as she began to adjust her eyelashes with her wand, she heard a moan come from behind.

Ginny returned from the dressing room looking unpleased. "I know they say less is more but this is bordering on being lingerie. Lena, this is sacrilege!" She covered the upper part of her body with her arms while trying to pull the dress lower to extend its length.

"A little melodramatic, aren't we?" Lena said with a raised eyebrow, smirking. "I never pegged you to be such a prude, Ginny."

"I'm not! It's just that I would wear this on a date with a hot bloke not with a sort of acquaintance-partner-friend!" Ginny protested. She eyed herself in the mirror. While the dress fit her like a glove, almost as if it was just made for her, she felt wildly uncomfortable wearing this in the company of Draco.

"You mean a very handsome male acquaintance-partner-friend…?" Lena corrected, continuing to give her that same smug smirk. "Those are a lot of words to describe someone you don't have feelings for."

"Ugh!" Ginny exhaled, throwing her hands up in the air in defeat. "I have no time to worry about this anymore! I have to apply all of those damn charms still."

Ginny swiftly dried her hair with her wand and began to go through her scrolls, looking for the proper spell for her hair, except she could barely make out her hasty handwriting. "Say Lena do you remember that charm for your hair?" she asked. "I can't for the life of me read it on my parchment," she said, scanning her notes.

"Yeah, sure," Lena replied once she finished her lips. "Here, I'll do it for you." With several flourishes, Ginny's hair was in elegant, loose waves. A couple more jabs with Lena's wand, and her hair looked just like it had in the hair salon yesterday.

"Also, Ginny, you need to relax!" Lena said from behind, putting her hands on her friend's arms. Her head peeked over, allowing Ginny to see her friend in the reflection of the mirror. "Let down your hair, so to speak! Tonight will be fun!"

She was right. She supposed she looked ridiculous pouring over class notes while dressed in a dazzling, expensive dress and even more so now that her hair was all done. It was time to loosen up and bring back some of the fun and spunky Ginny. She hadn't had a fun night out in months, and it would be nice just to enjoy the experience of being at a ridiculously extravagant affair. With a small smile, Ginny began to apply the rest of her cosmetics charms onto her face.

She slipped on her shoes and placed the backings behind her earrings. Taking one last look at the mirror, she blanched at her appearance. Though her eyebrows were usually groomed, they were elegantly arched to suit her face. Her hands looked more feminine with her newly manicured nails. While she had to admit she looked pretty damn good, Ginny felt like an impostor in her complete get up. "I can't go out looking like this," Ginny said nervously. "Especially with Draco as my escort, he'll think he's won."

"Won what?" Lena asked, a puzzled expression on her face as she slipped on her own dark, metallic heels.

"That's not the point!" Ginny replied exasperatedly. "Somehow he'll feel like he's won!"

"It's not even that bad, you look fantastic, Gin!" Lena complimented. She looked at the clock on her bedside table, indicating that it was nearly seven thirty. "We better get going, or we're going to be late!"

**A/N:** The peacock scene was borrowed from a Gilmore Girls' episode "Swan Song." I just felt like it would fit so well here! And it's one of my favorite moments in the series. I'll try not to take too long with the next chapter! I've also officially decided to enter NaNoWriMo, which means I have another long fic on the way. :) Not sure if I'll reach 50K words in a month, but it's been a bucket list thing for over a decade. I also have several one-shots in mind, so stay tuned! Love if you would leave a review – it would be a treat. ;) Happy Halloween!


	8. Cotillion

**DISCLAIMER: **Anything that looks familiar is not mine. It's most likely J.K. Rowling's. Oh, how I wish they were mine.

**eight. cotillion.**

Draco stood impatiently by the women's staircase, waiting for Ginny to come down already. Most of the girls had already arrived, but his partner was nowhere to be found. He himself had only gotten ready half an hour prior, as he had little to prepare for. Looking at the watch on his left arm, he was about to let out a string of curses when he saw a familiar woman heading down the stairs.

Ginny Weasley came down looking a lot like a Slytherin, or at least in color scheme. On the one hand, he wanted to laugh, but on the other hand, he couldn't help but notice just how stunning she looked. Draco had assessed early on that she was never unfortunate looking, but it felt like he was truly looking at her as a woman for the first time. She made her way down carefully in her silver strappy high heeled sandals, the straps crisscrossing up her dainty feet and fastening at her ankle. His eyes trailed up to her forest green iridescent taffeta dress that ended a few centimeters above her knee, while the sweetheart neckline tastefully enhanced her breasts. The garment caught the light, shifting between varying hues of green in its subtle pleats as she moved about. Kind of like her hair. Her hair looked absolutely stunning, which was pinned back but her crimson curls cascaded freely down her back. He decided that red was now his new favorite color. Of course he would never admit that to former Gryffindor Weasley. Draco tried not to laugh at the grim expression on her made up face. Her cosmetics were in subtle hues, emphasizing her large dark eyes and lashes while brightening her cheeks and lips.

"Kindly put a sock in it, Draco," Ginny huffed with shapely knitted eyebrows as she stood before Draco. "I'm committing blasphemy to my own house. So much for being a loyal Gryffindor."

"You know Weasley, you clean up pretty nicely," he stated carefully, trying to subtly give her a compliment without giving her the wrong impression. They were _just_ sort of friends after all.

"Thanks," she said awkwardly with a shy smile, absent mindedly tucking a non-existent lock of hair into place. "Apparently, your mother ended up choosing this for me."

"I see we'll make a fitting Slytherin out of you just yet," Draco smirked. _Oh, mother truly does know best._ He would have to thank her one of these days.

Nearly all of the couples had entered the hall, Draco realized as he glanced around the entry corridor. He was about to give her his arm to hold onto when he realized he was still clutching a bouquet of flowers in his hand. He had been so distracted by this new lovely form that was Ginny Weasley, that he had nearly forgotten the pink roses in his hand. Earlier that week, he had mailed the finest florist in Diagon Alley to deliver him the best bouquet he could find for his partner. Draco felt that it would be a good touch in improving relations with her.

"What are these?" Ginny inquired as he handed them to her, eyeing them questionably.

"Flowers. They grow out of the ground," informed Draco flatly with a roll of his eyes. "Honestly, Weasley, did you pay attention in Herbology?"

"I _know_ what they are!" She snapped, gruffly taking the bouquet from his hand. "I'm asking what they're doing in your hands."

"It is custom in many cultures to bring flowers for your date," he noted casually before realizing what he had said. Wait, date? This was just another part of the program; not a date. Why had that even come out of his mouth? Draco did his best to keep his composure.

"Are you suggesting this is a date?" Ginny said, looking just as startled as he felt, her eyebrows raised.

"You are my date to this Cotillion, are you not?" Draco answered with another question, vehemently attempting to remain unfazed. That sounded like a valid counterpoint. And it got him out of explaining what he had actually meant by date. Draco breathed a sigh of relief.

"I guess…" Ginny trailed off, still eyeing the exquisite fully bloomed pink roses.

"Are we going to continue to argue semantics the whole night or head inside?" Draco questioned impatiently. The Cotillion was nearly about to start and they had better not be late, as per his mother's instructions.

He offered his arm, which she tentatively took, threading her arm with his. As he led her in, Draco noticed out of the corner of his eyes that she sniffed the roses, closing her eyes in contentment. He tried his hardest not to grin as they made their entrance into the ballroom.

* * *

><p>For the second time that week, they were back in the ballroom. Instead of appearing serious and daunting with its intimidating columns, cold marble floors, and expensive chandeliers, it looked much more inviting in Ginny's opinion. Draped curtains made of a sheer fabric hung from the ceilings and wrapped around the columns, all strung with live fairies that lit up and changed colors. The chandeliers were sparkling and emitting a warm glow. Each of the tables had beautiful floral centerpieces that looked like they were made from the Malfoy Manor gardens. While the adult students were milling about by the buffet table and at their respective tables, Ginny noticed a bunch of children who looked about half her age huddled in the center of the room. The girls were dressed in poufy little dresses with layers of tulle in different hues of pastels, while the boys were in their most formal dress robes.<p>

"This room looks fantastic!" Ginny exclaimed as they moved closer to the buffet table. "Is our Ball going to look like this?"

"Not even close," Draco replied with a knowing smile as he handed her a plate. "It's going to be even better. This is just for the kids." Ginny could only wonder what Narcissa had in store for the actual Ball when these decorations already looked amazing.

She took the plate from his hands, stealing a glance at him. Draco looked quite handsome in his dress robes, though they seemed to be slightly less formal than those she had seen at the Yule Ball. His garments were all black from head to toe, which were tailored impeccably for his shape, as she noticed how it defined his lean frame. His black shirt was free of a tie, but stretched snugly across his fit upper body. Draco's platinum blond hair was neatly coiffed to the side. Upon looking closely, she saw that the stitching of his dress robes were a subtle dark green. What she most noticed however, was just how different he looked when he was actually pleasant and smiling. So different that it was infectious; she could feel her own smile growing as she continued to watch him. His eyes were illuminated with mischief and mirth as each of his features lit up. His eyes met hers inquiringly, but she quickly looked away so he wouldn't suspect anything. Or so she hoped.

Instead, Ginny focused her attention to the buffet table, which was piled with mouthwatering hors d'oeuvres, both savory and sweet. On the savory side, there were petite glasses filled with sauce paired with fanciful shrimp cocktail. There were very convoluted shaped tarts with some sort of sauce that was turned into a foam resting upon each bite-sized treat. She also saw some delectable baked fruits stuffed with a sweet cheese, nuts, and drizzled honey on top, to name a few. Her favorite part was the sweet side, where she saw chocolate covered strawberries and large leveled towers of French pastries all a variety of different cakes, tarts, and other miniature sweet delectable bites.

And then suddenly, her eyes fell upon the single most beautiful thing in the world. At the center of the spacious buffet table was a brimming chocolate fountain made of five tiers. Each tier was of a different flavor of chocolate, starting with white chocolate at the bottom, mint chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and ending with hazelnut flavored chocolate at the very top.

Ginny shoved the plate that she had stacked a kilometer high with every bite she could get her paws on into Draco's hands, though it rather jabbed him in the stomach. Frantically looking around for a cup, she only found empty champagne flutes. She grabbed two and began gathering the chocolate into the glasses, switching every so often, layering the different flavors of chocolate in her flutes. Ginny carefully took a generous swig of one of the glasses, being careful as to not drop it on the most expensive piece of clothing she now owned.

"Why are you not amazed by this glorious creation?" Ginny asked curiously when she noticed that Draco was standing around looking rather bored.

"It's all right," he replied rather flippantly, shifting his balance as he held onto her plate along with hers.

"There's a bloody CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN here! This is simply amazing," Ginny affirmed. It appeared that Draco had seen nearly everything if he was not amazed at this innovation like she was.

"I think you need to slow down there and not double fist all of the chocolate," Draco teased with a smirk.

That was then she realized she did look rather like a nutter with two flutes filled to the brim with chocolate. She lowered the glass that she was bringing close to her face, and tried to walk in a dignified manner to their table. Draco followed suit, falling into place with her.

"You know, you can always go back to the table. That's what a buffet is for," Draco explained in mock seriousness, raising her plate with his hand, which was noticeably more packed than his.

"Well, in the spirit of this Conservatory and creating new experiences, I'm leaving no stone unturned," she shot back, but with a smile.

The kids had begun their program of performing the waltz out on the dance floor. As she munched on her goodies, Ginny scanned the room. She saw Lena and Blaise on the other side, and gave them a quick wave. Lena looked gorgeous as ever in her delicate silky butter yellow dress that landed just at her knees radiated her exuberance. It had a subtle lace trim running along the top and bottom. Lena's smile looked dazzling against her vibrant pink lips while her jet black hair was in thick, glamourous curls. Blaise in comparison looked ever the handsome in his sophisticated charcoal dress robes, looking like he had just stepped out of a wizardwear catalog. They both looked perfectly content to be with each other, hardly registering what was going on around them.

"That's the happiest I've seen Blaise, to be honest," Draco acknowledged, leaning over to her so she could hear him over the music. She felt a shiver go down her spine upon hearing his deep voice, his lips millimeters away from her ear.

"Really?" Ginny said, surprised. "He seemed to be quite the charmer when we first met." She reflected back to their introductions when he had assertively taken Lena's hand and proceeded to kiss it.

"Oh, that's all an act," Draco admitted to her as he munched on a fruit tart. "Blaise is actually pretty careful with who he lets into his life." Ginny was rather surprised that Draco was having such an honest conversation with him. It really was like they were friends.

"You wouldn't think he would have any trouble," Ginny commented, turning to face him, as she sipped away on her chocolate drink, carefully making sure to wipe her mouth. She would have thought that a good-looking man like Blaise would have had his share of girls.

"Trouble? Most definitely not," Draco said with a chuckle. "Personally, I think it's because of his many former step fathers. He seems to have issues with commitment. But I think this time it's different."

Ginny said nothing as she continued to observe them. It really wasn't fair that they were both so good looking with charming personalities and had managed to find each other. However any envious thoughts she had about them quickly dissipated upon seeing the matching blissful smiles on both of their faces. It was then that she noticed something behind the couple. What had caught her attention was a long counter that was discreetly situated at the back corner of the ballroom.

"Draco, look!" Ginny exclaimed, pointing in the direction of the counter. She tugged at his sleeve like an impatient child when he wasn't paying attention, shaking the food out of his hand. "It's a bar!"

"Am I that bad company that you need to be drunk to be in my presence?" Draco irritatingly raised his eyebrow. He dusted off the crumbs that had landed all over his dress robes. When they continued to cling to his garment, he quickly cast a quick cleaning spell to make the mess disappear.

"Well… no…" Ginny answered, slightly taken aback by her answer. He _had_ gotten much less aggravating over the past several days. "But come on!"

Ginny dragged Draco over to the bar, forcing him to leave his snacks behind. He continued to lament over the loss of his food as they stood side by side, waiting for a bartender to arrive.

"I thought your mum said no alcohol," Ginny asked, while she kept an eye out for someone who looked like they were there to tend the bar.

"I guess she decided to treat us," he mused, sounding as surprised as she was.

They stood there for at least ten more minutes making small talk, when Draco eventually griped, "I can't wait around all night."

"Well, it's not my fault the bartender disappeared," Ginny responded. "He probably saw your face and ran away," she joked. Draco responded with a customary roll of his eyes at her feeble attempt. The elusive bartender was nowhere to be found as she scanned the room a couple of more times.

"Where is this bloke? Is he out fermenting the alcohol himself? Manually squishing the grapes for wine?" Apparently unwilling to wait a second more, Draco moved away from her and walked around the counter onto the other side.

"What the hell are you doing?" Ginny asked, resting her elbow atop the bar. It was probably completely unladylike, she realized, but she was much too curious to be following the rules at that moment.

"I'm making us drinks," he replied sensibly, shrugging off his robe and rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. Draco handed her the robe, which she handled with care. It was overwhelmingly soft as her hands clutched the cloth. "So, Miss Weasley, what will it be?"

Ginny never thought in a million years that Draco Malfoy would be escorting her to a dance, let alone standing behind a bar ready to serve her a drink. She giggled as she ordered, "A gin martini please, with a twist."

Draco gave her a pointed look as he waved his wand to summon all of the ingredients. "You've got to be joking with your drink of choice."

"I'm quite serious, Draco. It's a fine drink too," she responded indignantly.

"Really though? A gin martini? Gin… as in Ginny?" Draco asked again with a ghost of a smile, beginning to carefully measure out the right amounts of the components. He seemed to know the right ratios off the top of his head.

"Yes, but with a twist. That's quite important actually," she added, emphasizing the need for the zest. "Well either way, what's it to you?"

"Nothing. Just a bit surprised really. You're actually taking a page out of the Malfoy handbook for self-centeredness," Draco seamlessly replied with a grin.

"Hey, I thought it was ingenious at seventeen!" She cried. Upon realizing how incredulous her statement sounded, she burst into giggles.

"Well," Draco started as he looked at her as if she was a bit mad. "I think it's time for an adult drink."

He easily finished combining the liquids, creating two drinks – one for her and one for himself. Adding a slice of lime at the end for garnish, he handed one to her.

"There. There's your twist," Draco teased as she sniffed the drink uncertainly. He took a sip easily, so she took a generous swig, only to nearly choke on how strong it was.

"Merlin's balls, that's a stiff drink!" She said, wiping the excess liquid off her face and chin with a small napkin. Her tolerance level diminished as she hadn't had a strong drink. "What was that?"

"A gin and tonic," he replied, easily taking another large sip. "Thought I would upgrade you."

"Are you trying to get me drunk, Malfoy?" Ginny accused playfully. "So you can have your way with me?" She inwardly cringed upon hearing how she sounded. It _almost_ sounded like she was flirting. Ginny hoped he didn't pick up on that in her comment.

"So, it's back to Malfoy now?" Draco drawled with a small smile.

"Only when you muck things up," she huffed, taking small sips in an attempt to prove that she could handle the strong drink.

Just then the bartender returned from out of nowhere, shooing Draco away from the back of the counter. Draco scowled at the bartender but did eventually return to his spot next to Ginny. Seeing their drinks were finished, the bartender swiftly replenished their glasses with spirits.

"He better not expect a tip, I did all of the work," Draco muttered when the bartender's back was turned to fill other orders. He took the robe from her hands and pulled it back on.

"I bet that was the first time you ever did menial labor in your life," Ginny teased with a laugh.

"Possibly," he responded, with an air of dramatics. "And it was hard work!"

She smacked him on the shoulder playfully before she realized how it looked. Ginny ignored the voice in her head that said to retreat and maintain a platonic disposition. She didn't care anymore at this point. It was a lovely night, she was wearing a fantastic dress, and she was on the arm of a good looking fellow. Perhaps it was the drinks talking at this point, but Ginny was more than ready to have a good time.

She saw that a couple of the other couples had made their way onto the dance floor by now, also participating in the dance with the younger crowd. It seemed Draco had picked up on the moment, as he set his drink down and bowed in front of Ginny. He offered his hand as a gentleman would, saying, "May I have this dance?"

She couldn't help but chuckle again at the theatrics of his actions. She proceeded to curtesy, though the skirt of her dress wasn't really long enough to do so. "Yes, you may."

It was then that Ginny noticed one of the lapels were still overturned, and without thinking, she reached out to smooth it out so it would lay flat against his chest. Her hand lingered a second longer than they it have as she realized just how fit he really was. She quickly moved her hand back before she had a chance to think anymore unnecessary thoughts about Draco.

This seemingly went unnoticed as Draco escorted her onto the dance floor, placing his hand in hers and the other on the small of her back. They easily glided around in the usual box motion, swaying to the music. The familiar scent of his cologne infiltrated her nostrils. Ginny did all she could do to not bury herself into his chest to inhale the intoxicating aroma.

They continued along for a while in the same manner. While it was nice, Ginny was beginning to get rather bored of the repetitive dance. Wasn't he getting tired of the formalities as well?

"You must admit that the waltz is rather boring," she hinted. "Don't you want to step outside of the box? ...so to speak?"

"I'm fine with this," he replied with finality. Though, as if on cue, the tune changed to a faster tempo. Recognizing the song, Ginny decided to take the lead during this dance, showing him a few new moves. He kept up admirably, looking slightly uncomfortable while dancing, though trying his hardest to not let it show through. She tried not to laugh as clearly Draco was out of his element for once. It much more enjoyable being the one with the upper-hand in a situation.

Just as Draco looked like he was having a good time and had gotten the hang of it, she heard a voice say, "Is it alright if I cut in?"

She looked up to see Maxwell looking inquisitively with his brown eyes at the both of them. "I think Malfoy here may need a break," he laughed. Maxwell also did look rather handsome in his own exquisite dress robes, his hair tamed for once as opposed to the messy hairdo he had day in and day out.

Draco seemingly reluctantly let her go and decided to rest up back at their seats. However, he was trapped on the dance floor as Daphne took her chance to dance with an unoccupied Draco. She could have sworn that Draco had shot Max a look, but it happened so quickly that she couldn't really confirm. Though she felt a slight pang of sadness upon looking at a retreating Draco, she let it go. After all, she was moving from one handsome guy to another. Her current situation was a nice predicament to be in.

Maxwell easily slid into Draco's spot and placed his arm around her. They began to sway to the music easily, though it wasn't the easy sync she and Draco had accomplished in their practice session. His chocolate eyes twinkled back at her rather impishly, and it left her slightly unsettled. Ginny was unaccustomed to getting this much undivided attention from more than one male at a time; she was unsure of how to handle a situation like this.

"So…" Ginny began awkwardly, trying to break the awkward tension.

"Did Draco happen to tell you that you look gorgeous tonight?" Maxwell complimented smoothly with a beaming grin. "I bet he didn't even notice."

Ginny's face flushed at his statement. Was _he_ flirting with her? "Uh, sort of. Perhaps, not in those words," Ginny answered. He had noticed she looked different, though it wasn't exactly a forward comment like Max's.

"I'm actually surprised he let me cut in. If I was your partner, I wouldn't let you go," Max said as he spun her around.

If it was possible, Ginny was blushing even more, though it was also slightly from discomfort. They had barely spoken a paragraph to each other since the program had commenced, and he was so blatantly flirting with her. It was unnerving, in the most disconcerting way.

She decided to change the topic from herself. A sudden thought popped into her head, one that she had been wondering since earlier that day "Say Max, were you at the pick-up Quidditch match this afternoon?"

"Yes."

"Did you happen to witness what exactly triggered that peacock to beak Draco's eye?" Ginny probed, unable to hide her curiosity.

Max wholeheartedly laughed. "Well, it went like this..."

* * *

><p>Draco wished someone would hex the living daylights out of him at that moment. Since Maxwell had taken Ginny away from him, he was stuck dancing with Daphne the shrew. While she was babbling incessantly about Merlin knows what, Draco couldn't but keep a vigilant eye on his partner.<p>

Just as he turned Daphne around so he could get a good look at the twosome, he saw Ginny lean in closer to Maxwell as he leaned closer to her ear. He seemed to be telling her something which evidently made her laugh. Draco didn't like it one bit, shooting imaginary daggers with his eyes at Max. What was he telling her? _I could make her laugh like that, _Draco thought to himself. He wasn't exactly sure why this situation was eliciting this type of reaction from him.

"…and then I was about to- Hello? Draco? Are you even listening to me?" Daphne asked, snapping Draco out of his trance.

Daphne turned slightly to see what he was so mesmerized by and her eyes fell on Ginny and Max.

"I think Mad Max may give you a run for it, Draco," Daphne said with a smirk. Only on her face, it looked much more evil.

"What are you talking about?" Draco questioned carefully. He settled his face into a blank expression to not arouse her suspicions.

"Don't play coy with me, Malfoy. Maxwell told me all about your guys' little bet," Daphne replied triumphantly. The bet. Draco had forgotten all about the bet over the past couple of days. He had been busy improving their burgeoning relationship simply out of his own desires rather than for some ulterior motive. That was probably why he was so concerned as to why Maxwell was cozying up to Ginny like that. Right? Max was probably telling Ginny something that would make Draco look bad so he would lose the bet.

"Ow!" Daphne shrieked. "You're crushing my hand, Draco!"

"What?" Draco said looking down at her. He saw that his hand was gripping hers a little too strongly that his knuckles were beginning turn even paler. "Oh, sorry about that," though he sounded rather unapologetic.

"Whatever," Daphne snapped. The music began to shift to a different tune, and Draco did not want to spend another moment with the miserable Daphne.

"Oh, thank Salazar," Draco muttered when the new song came on.

"What was that?" Daphne asked owlishly, her harsh, cool brown eyes looking up at him.

"Oh, nothing," Draco covered up, quickly letting go of her. "Well, I must be getting back to my date, er, partner. Duty calls."

He quickly walked back over to Max and Ginny, the latter of whom seemed to be enjoying the former's company. Draco fought hard not to roll his eyes at them. She was supposed to be enjoying the night with him! After all, they were partners.

Draco cleared his throat, and the two of them looked at him with a little surprise.

"Oh, Malfoy, good to see you. Had a good time with Daph?" Max asked with a smile, still holding onto Ginny.

"Oh, the absolute best," Draco replied sarcastically. Would he stop manhandling his date already? Wait, his partner. Not date. This was not a date. Not officially, anyway.

"Hey, Max, I think Daphne looks a little sad that she's neglected over there," Ginny said, pointing out a very lonely looking Daphne sulking with her arms crossed.

Maxwell sighed. "Well, I better get back to her before she bites someone's ear off. Or worse, mine." He let go of Ginny and made a great show of bowing. "It was an honor dancing with you, Miss Weasley."

Ginny giggled and returned the gesture with a curtsey. "No, thank you, Mr. Fawley."

"Yes, yes, now move along already," Draco muttered rolling his eyes, nearly shoving Maxwell towards Daphne.

He easily went back into his former position leading Ginny around on the dance floor. As they began moving to the music again, he heard a laugh from below him. Looking down, he saw Ginny smirking.

"What?" Draco said irritably, his eyes narrowing.

"Oh, nothing. Just thinking of what Max was just telling me before you got here," she said with a playful twinkle in her russet eyes.

"Alright, what did he tell you?" Draco demanded, slightly panicked at the many anecdotes Max could have shared with her.

"A bit jealous now, are we? You do get me most of every day, you know," Ginny replied with a rather impish smile.

"What do I have to be jealous of?" Draco scoffed, trying to cover up his over eagerness to know what had just transpired while he was gone.

"Well, if you must know," she began. "Maxwell was telling me about how you got attacked by the peacock earlier today. It kept bothering you while you guys were warming up, so he said that you tried to chase it away with your broomstick."

"And then," Ginny started cracking up. "When you guys were playing. It flew up to you and pecked you in your eye and messed up your hair." She could barely get the rest of the words out as she was laughing so hard.

While normally Draco would have been livid that Maxwell had told her this embarrassing story, he was just relieved he didn't tell her anything about the bet. Things between him and Ginny were going pretty well at the moment, and he was really beginning to enjoy their time together. The bet was beginning to become more of a nuisance rather than some interesting challenge he had taken upon himself.

"Well, messing with my hair is a serious offense," Draco acknowledged, heaving a sigh of relief.

The song changed again, getting faster. Draco was ready to show off the dance moves he had learned earlier this evening from his partner, but she had other plans.

"Can we take a break, Draco?" Ginny asked. "My feet are beginning to kill me. These shoes are gorgeous but they're murdering my toes."

"Works for me," Draco replied, feeling thankful that he didn't have to deal with a second round of looking like a fool. "You head back to the table and I'll get us something to drink."

Draco returned with two drinks in his hand, this time with gin martinis. Walking back, he noticed she had slipped off her heels while he had gone to the bar. He also noticed that Ginny's eyes lit up when she saw that he remembered, and eagerly took a glass from his hands.

"Your feet doing okay?" Draco asked, taking a sip. She was busy massaging her tired feet.

"They're alright. I'm just not used to being on my feet like that with these kind of shoes," she replied.

He took his wand out and murmured a few charms at her feet. A blue hue swirled around her feet before evaporating into the air. She wiggled her pedicured toes and looked up with a stunned look on her face at Draco. He had applied a charm to sooth her sore feet while cooling the inflammation she was feeling.

"What? You're not the only one who knows Healing charms," Draco replied smugly, as he returned the wand back inside his jacket pocket.

* * *

><p>They sat in a pleasant silence for a short while, observing the rest of the party. It was a seemingly strange mix with young adults and adolescents dancing about, but it looked like everyone was enjoying themselves. Ginny found it was rather fun people watching with Draco over a delicious piece of cake, as he would always have some type of snarky observation to throw out.<p>

It was strange; Draco had been the perfect gentleman all night. He would pull out the seat for her to sit. He got her drinks and dessert while she sat and waited for him. It had been so long since she had a true night out like this, enjoying fun company and dancing the night away.

She noticed a peculiar cube sitting in one corner of the room, and she suddenly connected what it was. "Draco, look!" Ginny suddenly shouted, shaking his arm that was on the table, to look in the direction she was pointing out. Draco nearly sloshed the remainder of his martini on his dress robes due to her disturbance. "Isn't that a photobooth?"

Draco whipped around, now seeing the box that she was pointing out. As if reading Ginny's mind, he set his drink down and pulled her out of her seat. She yelped from surprise, his hand still holding hers, as they made their away over to the photobooth.

"Draco, I'm barefoot!" Ginny squeaked as they neared the booth. "I'm pretty sure your mother would knock points off for that! It isn't exactly ladylike!"

Draco scanned the room once over then turned back to her. "I highly doubt she'll care seeing as she isn't even in the room." Ginny quickly whipped her head around behind her and saw that he was quite right.

He moved the curtain aside from the entrance of the booth, motioning for her to get in. "Now, do you want to do this or not?"

Recognizing that she was getting a rare opportunity in which Draco was complying to do something silly with her, she quickly hopped into the booth. Draco smirked, following behind, closing the curtain behind them. They were sitting so closely that her thigh was rubbing against his. Any tighter of a space, and she would have been sitting in his lap.

"Now, how do we get this thing to work?" Ginny looked around, furrowing her brow and biting her lip. She hadn't been able to strap her wand under dress, and so it was in her purse at the coat check. She looked around for a button or a dial or a lever or something that would get it to start.

Luckily for her, Draco pulled his wand out again and tapped at the screen which came to life. Returning the wand to its rightful spot, they both came closer towards the center of the very cozy booth, head to head, in order to fit properly in the camera's viewfinder.

The screen began to flash numbers, counting down until the camera captured the action in front of it. Ginny settled in, leaning closer to Draco, flashing a beaming smile at the camera. He kept a solid, solemn look in his face when the camera flashed. Ginny tilted her head towards his, bringing her lips together, as if she was about to kiss the camera. Flash. Again, she changed her expression, making a silly face with gestures. Flash. On the fourth one, she sighed, taking a glance at Draco's never-changing solemn expression, readying her face into a serious one replicating his. Flash.

She quickly ushered him out of the booth so they could take a look at the results. The booth spit out the strip of pictures at them, and Ginny eagerly reached to see what came of their photo session. She frowned upon seeing Draco's face in their photos.

"You didn't even try! You look the same in every picture," she grumbled.

"I look just fine," Draco replied, crossing his arms. Draco had the same serious expression in each of the photos, which were charmed just like all other magical photographs. Their counterparts moved within the confines of the frames of the picture.

"You could at least do _something_ in the pictures! Be spontaneous! It's not like we're in the Dark Ages." Ginny reprimanded.

"Excuse me, I can be spontaneous whenever I want," Draco asserted, straightening up and bringing himself to his full height.

"Please enlighten me then," Ginny suggested, placing her hands on her hips, photographs still in hand.

A puzzled expression claimed his face as he scrambled to think of an answer "…Things," Draco answered lamely, when it was clear nothing was coming to his mind at that moment.

Ginny scoffed knowingly. "Alright then, Miss Queen of Spontaneity, what have you done?" Draco challenged.

"I've skinny dipped loads of times by the pond near our home. Almost got caught by Mr. Diggory once," Ginny retaliated. She was satisfied by how large Draco's eyes grew from shock, and how his cheeks lightly flushed upon hearing her memory.

"Now, let's try this again," Ginny said. Before Draco had the opportunity to object as she could see from his expression, she quickly pushed him back into the booth and pulled the curtain shut after them.

Just as it had begun before, the screen promptly began to flash different numbers across the screen, signaling a countdown. Ginny quickly primped herself a little bit, brushing her hair off of her shoulder and smoothing out her dress. She blew a kiss to the camera while Draco infuriatingly had the same serious expression as he had before. Flash. Ginny shifted around, putting a hand on her hip, posing as if she was a model. Finally Draco changed his expression, although he had a peculiar smirk on his face. Flash.

The camera restarted for the third frame. As she tried to quickly come up with another pose, she noticed Draco coming closer to her, which seemed almost impossible as she was nearly in his lap as it was. Before she knew it, she felt surprisingly soft, tender lips against her own, confirming her suspicions that his lips were made more than just for smirking. At first she stiffened, but he continued tantalizing her lips in a way she had never experienced before. While her brain was sending warning signals telling her that this was incredibly wrong, it felt incredibly right. His lips were soft and inviting yet commanding. She felt his hands tangling into her hair. Her lips surrendered, beginning to return his advances, letting out a moan. And just as she did she swore she could feel Draco smirking against her lips as he was kissing her! Flash. Before she knew it, he broke the kiss off, sliding out from underneath her. Somehow during the ordeal, she had pushed herself onto his lap. Feeling dazed, she opened her eyes while she was still gasping for air. He shot her a devilishly handsome grin and disappeared behind the curtain. Flash.

"How's that for spontaneity, Ginevra?" Ginny heard Draco's familiar drawl reach her ringing ears as he walked away from the booth.

She sat there, stunned for several moments, unable to move. What had just happened? Who did he think he was kissing her like that? Realization set in and Ginny indignantly whipped the curtain back, returning to the ballroom.

"Malfoy?" Ginny called out. The ball had been winding down as it was, with only a couple of the adult couples left on the floor. She couldn't see Draco anywhere. Figures. Draco Malfoy would snog someone brilliantly and then just disappear into thin air, never to be found again. "Malfoy?"

"Stupid tosser," Ginny muttered as she collected the second set of pictures the booth had dispensed.

Her heart raced as she saw the whole action play out in the strip of pictures. She narrowed her eyes at the Draco figure in the pictures. She saw how he smirked and then proceeded to slyly plant one on her. The prat was planning the whole thing!

Grumbling about a certain silly blond man, Ginny collected her shoes and other belongings and proceeded to make her way back to her room. Luckily, it was empty seeing as how Lena still hadn't returned. She chucked her expensive shoes and purse aside as she closed the door.

Ginny glanced again at the photo strip still in her hands, watching the scene play out again and again. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw from her expression she enjoyed it! Especially in the last frame, with her looking wide-eyed and breathless. She wasn't merely wondering what was happening, the expression on her face demonstrated that she was questioning why Draco had decided to stop.

She leaned against the back of the door, slowly sliding down until she was sitting down on the bedroom floor. She found herself fanning herself as she continued to relive the moment again and again in her mind. She literally felt like she was on fire, just like her blazing mane, but in the best way possible. An epiphany occurred to her:

Ginny Weasley _liked_ snogging Draco Malfoy?

**A/N**: I hope that was an exciting chapter! I've been looking forward to this scene for so long! I promise not to take too long with the next chapter. In the meantime, I also posted just a one shot, "Constant Vigilance", featuring Aurors!Draco&Ginny, which you can check out (and which is not cliffhanger-y).


	9. Aftermath

**DISCLAIMER: **Anything familiar, like J.K. Rowling's work for example, is not mine nor do I claim it.

* * *

><p><strong>nine. aftermath.<strong>

About an hour later, Ginny tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Her mind was still reeling from what had happened, and her brain wasn't ready to shut down anytime soon. She then heard the door quietly open to their bedroom, indicating that Lena had returned. Ginny threw off her covers and hopped out of bed, eagerly head towards Lena, nearly startling the other girl.

"Merlin, Ginny!" Lena said with a gasp. She was still in her dress from the Cotillion, albeit it seemed her garment was a bit rumpled. "You're still up!"

"Yeah! I tried to go to sleep, but I really need to tell someone something," she said, hopping up and down impatiently.

"I have something to tell you too!" Lena replied excitedly, flinging her purse onto her bed.

"You're never going to believe what happened ton-"

"Blaise and I were outside and he to-"

Both of the women started to speak at the same time, their voices overlapping each other. They both stopped upon realizing and laughed.

"How about, you change into your pajamas, I'll get us some tea, and we'll meet out on the balcony?" Ginny suggested. She knew it was past one in the morning, but neither of them were about to go to bed when they both had important news to tell each other.

As Lena headed off to the loo, a house elf appeared, ready to do their bidding.

"How will you be needing me, Miss?" The squeaky house elf asked in a high-pitched voice.

"Um… can you bring up some tea for the two of us?" Ginny asked uncomfortable. She felt conflicted interacting with the house elf. On one hand, she loved the ease that the house elves created. If they ever voiced that they were hungry during the off-hours, they would appear. All of the house cleaning and their laundry was always taken care of. It was nice not having to deal with any of these responsibilities. But on the other hand, she was nearly related to Hermione Granger, house elves rights activist. She was sure Hermione would give her an earful if she found out she was using a house elf for their services. What Hermione didn't know wouldn't hurt her, Ginny decided.

"Yes, quickly, Miss!" The house elf eagerly said, disappearing with a pop.

Twenty minutes later, both of the women were snuggled up on armchairs out on the balcony, wrapped in blankets. It was a little breezy, but they enjoyed the smell of the late night air while the stars danced in the sky. Ginny noticed how brightly the stars sparkled out in the countryside.

Bringing her mug of piping hot Earl Grey tea to her lips, she then said with an eager grin, "So, Lena, what happened tonight?"

Lena set her own mug down on the table that was sandwiched between the two of them.

"Well, the Cotillion was beginning to wind down, so we decided to step outside to the rose garden to get some air," she started. "And, it was so beautiful out there. Madam Malfoy had it decorated it elegantly out there as well… Anyway, while we were out there, Blaise told me he loved me!"

"WHAT?!" Ginny yelped, sitting up straight, nearly splashing the tea out of her mug with her jerky movement. They had only known each other for about a month; how could they even be in love?

"I know!" Lena sighed dreamily. She saw the other girl's apprehensive look. "I know, we've only known each other for several weeks, but it just feels so right! We just have some kind of cosmic connection. I can't even explain it."

Seeing Lena's blissful expression on her face, Ginny couldn't help but feel happy for her friend. Who was she to get in the way of love? If they felt that it was real, who was she to criticize it? "That's amazing, Lena," Ginny said earnestly with a smile. "I'm really happy for you!"

"Thanks!" Lena beamed. "Blaise just gets me, you know? I never would have imagined this would have happened in a million years."

She paused to take a big sip of her tea. "Wait a minute," Lena said. "What's your news?"

"Oh, well…" Ginny stammered, wringing her hands awkwardly. "Dracokissedmeinthephotobooth."

"Excuse me?" Lena asked, unable to make out what Ginny's rambling meant.

Ginny took a deep breath and stated more clearly, "Draco kissed me in the photo booth."

Lena nearly choked on her tea upon hearing the news. Ginny quickly reached down for a napkin, handing it over to Lena so she could wipe up the mess.

"Holy shit! You let me babble on about Blaise while you had this up your sleeve?!" Lena sat up straight, and leaned in eagerly, ready to hang onto every word. "So, how was it?"

"It was weird…" Ginny began. "I mean, not because it was a bad kiss!" She amended quickly upon seeing Lena's horrified look.

Lena breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh thank goodness! I would have been really depressed to hear that Malfoy was a bad kisser."

"He just surprised me with it! We were taking pictures and then bam! He just laid one on me," Ginny explained while gesticulating. _And he's a bloody amazing kisser, _Ginny thought to herself.

"You liked it, didn't you?" Lena stated smugly upon seeing Ginny's pleased expression.

"I did…" Ginny admitted. Now that she said it out loud, it felt even more real. "But it's strange! I mean, we were at each other's throats a couple of weeks ago!"

"And now his tongue is down your throat," Lena snorted. She shouted a disgruntled "Hey!" when Ginny threw a piece of rusk at her.

She picked up the rusk and promptly dunked it into her cup of tea. "I knew you liked him. Hatred is too strong an emotion to waste on someone that you don't like."

Ginny growled. "What do you mean?"

"Well think about it. You guys have this intense passion for each other, whether it's hate or lust. It was bound to happen," Lena elaborated, taking a bite out of her rusk and chewed thoughtfully.

"So, do you like Draco?" Lena pressed for confirmation.

"I guess?" Ginny replied uncertainly. "I mean, ever since we called that truce, he's been more than just tolerable. He has his nice moments…" Did those words just come out of her mouth? Ginny's whole world was turning upside down and she couldn't decide if she minded or not.

"You mean a nice arse," Lena quipped. Ginny narrowed her eyes at her but then they both dissolved into giggles.

"Well, there is that too," Ginny agreed, once her laughter subsided.

* * *

><p>They continued to chat deep into the night, falling asleep in the armchairs as the first rays of the sun began to illuminate the dark sky.<p>

Draco woke up late that Monday morning, disgruntled. It pained him to have to wake up from the very unchaste dreams he was having that involved a certain red-head and that lovely green dress on his bedroom floor. If he had known _that_ was hiding underneath those ill-fitting matronly dresses, he would've called a truce from day one. He had _Reducto'd_ his alarm clock an hour ago into smithereens due to its constant disruptions during his pleasant slumber. It was the beginning of another week, and as much as he wanted to sleep in all day, he had better get downstairs before class started since he was already missing breakfast.

He decided he needed a quick, cold shower to start off the day, swiftly hopping into the shower, stiffening against the icy, streaming jet of water that was washing over him. Anything to extinguish the sizzling sparks he could still feel when he remembered the touch of her against him. They had had physical contact before, but it was _nothing _like this. She had been teasing him with those coy smiles, her hearty laughter, and those warm eyes that peeked through her long eyelashes. It had been too much to resist, and he gave into his hidden desires.

While Draco wasn't a womanizer, he had kissed a decent amount of women. But nothing had prepared him for that. While it was evident that a lot of the passion that was infused in their kiss was out of lust, there was something else that he couldn't quite put his finger on. He couldn't get enough of Ginny's soft, supple lips that were much too intoxicating for their own good. Once she had gotten over the initial shock of what he was doing, she began to respond with the same ferocity that he had initiated with, sending shivers up and down his spine. He definitely didn't want to break it off, but the longer it had gone on, the further Draco would have wanted to take it. And that was neither the time nor the place for that.

_Snap out of it,_ Draco chided himself. He never should have given into his curiosity and kissed her because now it was too difficult to put it behind him. He leaped out of the shower, humming cheerfully, and wrapped a towel around his waist. He stood in front of the mirror, his hands resting on the marble counter as he leaned closer to his reflection, his shirtless well-muscled self looking back at him. The looking glass efficiently wiped itself clean of any mist that was created from the steam of the shower. Thoughts of the bet kept coming back to him. A part of him still wanted to win the bet just so it would shut Maxwell up once and for all, but a larger part of him wanted to forget all about it. He found that he enjoyed Ginny's company and didn't want something stupid like the bet get in the way of it. Somewhere along the way while finding parts of her that would be advantageous to him in order to win the bet, he began to uncover parts of her that he actually liked. That was not part of the plan. He had gotten too close for comfort in terms of the bet. How Draco despised making that bet. If only he had a Time Turner to go and undo it. Draco sighed as he looked at his reflection once again uneasily before he headed off to get dressed for the day.

* * *

><p>Draco quietly Apparated outside of the dining room with a crumpet in hand just as the crowd started heading to the classroom. He quickly fell back, waiting for everyone else to get ahead of him. He noticed Ginny and Lena chattering away somewhere in the middle, and quickly moved out of sight, so as not to capture their attention. Seeing that everyone had cleared out, he started to make his way, thinking that the coast was clear.<p>

"Hiding from someone are we?" Draco heard an obnoxious, deep voice say from behind him. He winced; he had been trying to avoid everyone this morning so he didn't have to talk about what had transpired over the weekend. He turned around to see Blaise smirking expectantly at him.

"No, I just overslept," Draco said simply, taking another bite out of his crumpet.

Blaise fell into place with Draco as they made their way to the classroom.

"Well, it's nice to see that you're still alive and well."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Draco asked as they walked at a snail's pace.

"I haven't seen you in over a day. Hiding from a certain ginger, are we?" Blaise nearly purred out of smugness.

"No. Unlike you, I actually have work to do," Draco scoffed, popping the last bite of his crumpet into his mouth.

"_Please._ As if you actually work. And for the record, I invest, so I don't need to work, thank you very much," Blaise replied irritably, his feathers ruffled.

Draco smirked; it was always a silly point of contention between the two, and was always a good button to push in their arguments. "You buy and sell art. Takes you an hour tops."

"And you are deflecting, dear Draco. You _still_ haven't told me what happened during the Cotillion," pointed out Blaise.

"What's there to talk about?" Draco buffered.

"Well, you've been aloof and nearly silent since yesterday morning," said Blaise as he started to climb the staircase. "That means something bad happened."

"Why would something bad happen?" Draco said irritably. Stupid nosy Blaise. If he wanted to tell him anything, he would do it on his own terms. Until he figured out just what it meant, he was planning on keeping this little anecdote to himself.

They nearly made it to the top of the winding staircase when Blaise suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, Draco continuing to the top. "Then something good happened," egged Blaise challengingly.

Draco merely said nothing, figuring that a statement in either vein could possibly be incriminating. Luckily for him, they had reached the classroom, and he quickly slid into a seat in the very back. Very far from the red-headed witch sitting towards the front of the class, still furiously taking notes like he had seen her do during the first lecture.

Unfortunately for Draco, the only other unoccupied seat was right next to him, meaning that Blaise quickly filled that seat. Draco groaned. Now he was trapped for the next couple of hours with Blaise, who he knew was going to continuously pester him.

Instead, the irritated blond decided to pay attention to what was happening in front of him, for once. His mother had been lecturing for nearly fifteen minutes now, and he had no idea what the subject matter was even about.

"…and that is why we are at our current topic today. While you all have learned the importance of navigating the social stratosphere as well as managing oneself within it, this week's topic will be much more central to the importance of building a foundation for true companionship…" explained Narcissa when Draco began to tune in.

She continued to pace up and down the front of the room casually. "…As such, this week will once again be a double lesson." Predictably, the whole class groaned, as did Draco and Blaise. Was she seriously trying to kill them with these convoluted lessons? Last week was nearly the death of him. What could this week possibly bring? Draco swore that his mother got some sort of twisted pleasure out of making the students miserable, himself included.

"_Psst!_"

Draco ignored Blaise, not wanting to have to talk about The Forbidden Incident as he had now decided to call it.

"Just tell me what happened!" Blaise whispered pleadingly to Draco, earning him some cross shushes by his neighboring classmates.

"Maybe if you stop pestering me, I'll tell you eventually!" Draco hissed to his mate, unable to stay silent any longer.

"Mister Malfoy, Mister Zabini, is there something you would like to discuss with the class?" Narcissa called out to them, seeing the two young men clearly distracted from the lecture at hand.

Blaise gave Draco a long stare and eventually conceded. "No, Madam," he replied, turning to face Mrs. Malfoy.

"Then I suggest you two to quiet down rather than infringing on my designated speaking time. Understood?" Narcissa said giving them both an icy glare.

"Yes," Draco and Blaise chimed lamely while some of the classes gave into their bubbling snickers. _Lovely,_ thought Draco. _Another thing to add to the list: getting chastised by my mother in front of all of these buffoons._

When his mother turned her back on them, Draco gave Blaise a warning stare, indicating to cool it for the time being. With only minutes left in the lecture, he had decided to give in and tell Blaise what had transpired that evening. After all, if you can't confide in your best friend, who could you confide in? He hoped it would at least get him off his back.

Narcissa dismissed them for lunch and Draco bolted out of the door before Blaise could catch up. As the rest of the class trickled down the corridor, he carefully watched them all behind a dark tapestry off to the right side in a smaller, deserted corridor. When he finally saw Blaise sullenly walking by, he quickly aimed his wand at him.

Blaise felt himself being pulled towards the tapestry, seemingly by an invisible rope that was wrapped around his waist. He tried to resist it, unsure of what was happening, but the bind would not untie. Draco smirked as Blaise floated over to him in the dark corridor.

At first Blaise's eyes widened in confusion, but narrowed once he realized who was behind the spell. Once Blaise was in the vicinity, his dark eyes narrowed at his friend.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to seduce me Mr. Malfoy," Blaise said dramatically with his arms folded.

"Do you want to know or not?" Draco growled, unconsciously running a hand through his hair.

"You could have just called me over instead of being all dramatic about it," Blaise grumbled.

"Yes, so I can catch everyone's attention, including hers?" Draco exclaimed.

"'_Her?'"_ Blaise emphasized with a wide smirk. "I just KNEW something happened that night! Did she hex you? Is that why you're embarrassed? Did you end up doing something to make her slap you?" Blaise continued to come up with more scenarios in which Draco wronged Ginny, each one getting sillier than the previous one.

"What makes you think I did something wrong?" broke in Draco with a scowl. He wasn't _that_ much of a git… was he? He could be perfectly charming and well-mannered, when he wanted to, that is.

"Because you can be the biggest wanker when you want to be," Blaise said honestly then added, "I mean that in the nicest possible way as your best mate."

"I… I…" Draco stammered, then closed his eyes. "I kissed Ginny!"

He opened his eyes to see that Blaise was stunned into silence. He then quickly recovered with a sly grin, saying, "So it's Ginny now, eh?"

"I mean Weasley!" Draco hastily corrected. "Weasley!" It had to be repeated for emphasis.

"Well, it's about damn time! And Lena owes me five Galleons!" Blaise whooped.

"What do you mean 'it's about damn time'?" Draco demanded, folding his arms.

"Either you two were going to destroy each other or shag each other senseless," Blaise explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "It was only a matter of time."

Draco only grunted in response. Blaise decided to change tactics, asking, "So how was it?"

"It wasn't bad," Draco stiffly acknowledged. What he really wanted to say that it was pretty bloody amazing and he wanted to kiss her senseless, but he was already giving away too much information he would rather keep to himself.

"Sure," Blaise agreed, not believing a word that Draco was saying. "How does she feel about the matter?"

"I don't know," Draco admitted. "She definitely kissed me back but I walked away before she could respond or react."

Blaise face-palmed, shaking his head. "You're a right fucking idiot sometimes, you know that?"

Draco narrowed his eyes but didn't respond. Trying to be a bit more positive, Blaise suggested, "Well, isn't this a good thing? You're that much closer to winning the bet."

"I don't even care about that anymore, it's not worth it," Draco muttered so quietly that Blaise barely caught what he said.

Blaise eyes widened and looked utterly shocked at the person in front of him. "Draco Malfoy. The Draco Malfoy whose ego is larger than this Manor. Is willing to forfeit the bet," he proclaimed.

"No, it's not like that," Draco quickly denied. "It's just not worth my time." Yes, that was a completely viable reason as to why he no longer wanted to deal with this silly bet anymore. It had nothing to do with that red-headed vixen he was still figuratively tethered to for a few more weeks.

"Then why did you even take Fawley up in the first place?" Blaise pointed out.

"I don't even know why I told you anything at all," Draco sighed, pinching the bridge of nose between his thumb and index finger.

The gong boomed again, indicating that the afternoon session was about to start soon.

"Well, it must have been pretty damn important because you made us miss lunch," Blaise sniffed, stepping back into the main corridor.

They both fell into place as they slowly trudged to the afternoon lesson. The rest of the class was still many steps behind, leaving them with some room to continue to the discussion.

"So… what should I do?" Draco asked earnestly. He had to face it; he needed help and it wasn't like there was anyone else he could go to.

"Just play it cool," suggested Blaise. "See how she reacts to you and go from there."

"What do you mean Lena owes you five Galleons?"

"Don't worry your pretty little head about it," Blaise replied flippantly as they wandered into the drawing room from their earlier sessions.

Several moments later, the rest of the class began to trickle in, stopping in the center of the room, ready to hear the instructions for today's practical lesson. His eyes easily fell on Ginny, and surprisingly, he felt slightly nervous. Draco knew he could easily find her in the crowd because of her vibrant hair, but also in part because he _wanted_ to find her. He glanced at her red tresses that were tied back with a ribbon today. He finally had a chance to run his hands through those lovely curls when during their brief snog. It was just as soft and silky as he had hoped it would be. He couldn't stop watching as she joked and laughed with Lena, her face illuminated with her infectious smile. Her head eventually turned towards him, their eyes locking. His own gray eyes widened before he quickly broke contact, feeling his face grow warm. How could she have such an effect on him after one measly kiss?

* * *

><p>After she had that long discussion with Lena right after the dance, Ginny still felt just as confused as ever. She had somehow managed to avoid Draco over the rest of the weekend and this morning, though it left her slightly disappointed. Was he trying to avoid her? Did he regret what had happened between them? Was he only tolerating her for the sake of his mother? She couldn't decide how she felt since she had not been able to gauge his reaction to the situation.<p>

Again, she cast a customary glance over at Draco's direction. She felt herself get slightly nervous, with what felt like fairies flitting around inside her stomach, and her palms getting a little sweaty. _Pull yourself together, woman!_ It was unreal that she was losing any sense of dignity she had merely at the sight of a man. She saw his head turn and she caught him with his lips twitching upward, talking to Blaise. The same soft lips that had captured hers a couple of nights before. The same lips that had stirred inside of her something, reawakening feelings she had long forgotten existed. The same lips that uttered her name, a sound she quite liked, realizing upon reflection.

"…Gin? Ginny?" Lena called, bringing the red-head back to reality.

She looked blankly at Lena, who in turn had a smug expression on her face.

"What?"

"Oh, never mind. I saw you were entirely too entranced by Draco Malfoy's face to talk to me," Lena replied casually.

"I was not!" Ginny protested.

"Please, Gin! Your drool was nearly reaching the floor," Lena teased triumphantly.

Ginny flushed, only further proving Lena's point. She _had_ been staring at Draco for far too long. Just because she unfortunately thought he was handsome and a pretty damn good kisser, didn't amount to anything. Nope. Not if she could help it. After all, she was a Weasley, she had an image to maintain!

"Damn, I owe Blaise five Galleons don't I?" Lena muttered, her upturned lips turning in the opposite direction.

Casting an Amplifying Charm on herself, Narcissa's voice bounced off the walls. "Good afternoon, class. Now that you are happily satiated from today's lunch, we will get down to business. As I had mentioned in the morning, this week's class will be focused on an important aspect of marriage, and that is companionship and partnership. While it is undoubtedly a union of love, it is also most definitely a concentrated effort in cooperating and collaborating with one another. Today, Kendra and I will be discussing with each of you what you would want out of your own ideal partnership as well as your own personal goals for life. While waiting, partners will also discuss the same topics to see new perspectives and similarities." Ending the charm, Narcissa let the class disperse into their little groups as she proceeded to conjure her clipboard of names.

"Why must we have to discuss this?" Ginny moaned. Why must they discuss such a heavy topic at a time like this?

"Because five times out of six, Ball partners end up married," Lena explained. "Don't give me that look. That's what Gwen Sagramore told me, for what it's worth. She's had three sisters before her who've completed the program. All of them married to their partners."

Shooting Lena another disturbing glance, they separated as Blaise had arrived to whisk Lena away. Scrounging up whatever amount of courage she had within her, Ginny headed over to Draco. She decided it was better to deal with the awkwardness sooner rather than later and to face her problems head on. Putting her chin up just a bit higher with confidence, she strode up to him.

There was a shadow of uncertainty cast across his face before he quickly returned to his usual calm, collected state. He had his hands shoved into his pant pockets, shifting his weight from heel to toe.

"Nice to see you're still alive," Ginny said carefully, looking everywhere but into his eyes.

"What?" Draco replied, alarmed with his eyebrows raised.

"I mean, just that I haven't seen you since Cotillion," Ginny said awkwardly, casting a quick glance up at him.

"Oh, right…" Draco trailed off.

Ginny cleared her throat. "So, anyway, did you hear about Blaise and Lena?" She figured maybe a change of subject would be better, although she didn't know why she brought _them_ of all people into the conversation.

"It was about time," replied Draco, motioning to her to head over to one of the spare sofas, which happened to be a loveseat. He sat down and patted a place down next to her. She cringed inwardly. She was going to be sitting so close to him, and the last time that had happened, his lips were on hers.

"I know!" Ginny said once she settled into the sofa, trying to maintain a cool demeanor despite the wave of panic that had rippled over her. "I just can't believe they're in love already, though! We've only been here, what, a month?"

"I guess when you know, you know," Draco replied obviously, looking at her soberly.

Ginny snorted. "I thought I knew but I ended up being spectacularly wrong." She made a face. "What a farce."

A sudden thought occurred to her. "Do you think they're going to get _married?"_ Her tone went up a pitch upon voicing her thought out loud.

"Probably. I've never seen Blaise like this over a girl," Draco answered with a small smile.

_Stop smiling, Draco, this is torture!_ Ginny thought, secretly hoping he would somehow get the message. It was easier when he would just scowl at her all the time.

Ginny couldn't fathom the thought of finding someone so quickly. Unable to hold her thoughts in, she said, "Isn't marriage so strange? Suddenly this person becomes a part of your life forever. They're like a permanent fixture."

"Well... That's kind of the point, Weasley," Draco affirmed, his smirk returning. There, that's a little better, Ginny thought. Except, now even his damn smirk now looked appealing to her. "You're sounding a bit thick."

"But that's exactly my point!" Ginny exclaimed, choosing to ignore Draco's half-hearted insult. "Half of the time I can barely decide what to wear, so how can I decide that a person is the right one?"

"I don't know how you can still be indecisive when your wardrobe is not that extensive," he pointed out, shifting in his seat. He rested his arm atop the sofa, his arm essentially slung across her shoulder as she was leaning back. She stiffened for a moment, but forced herself to relax, which was proving to be difficult. She could practically feel the heat radiating from the close proximity to his body. It was probably just an automatic impulse on his part, she told herself.

"And how do you know that? Do you happen to keep track of everything that I wear?" Ginny challenged, folding her arms.

"Well, let's see… There was that black dress, your dragon-hide jacket – that was rather nice – the skirt you spilled juice all over, your jeans, and of course the pièce de résistance from Cotillion," Draco listed, counting on his hands. "But, I wasn't paying attention or anything."

"Deflecting, Draco," Ginny said, folding her arms, though she was completely floored by his impeccable memory. Or had he truly been keeping track the whole time? Had he really been looking at her like _that?_

"I guess that's just the fun of it. You just know when it happens…" he replied earnestly, raking a hand through his nearly silver locks.

"Well, that's helpful," Ginny huffed sarcastically, playing with the hem of her dress.

"Well isn't it better than irritating family members you're stuck with? At least you get to choose," Draco pointed out.

"But, I don't dislike any of my family members," she bit her lip, looking up at him, gazing into pleasant looking gray eyes rather than the icy ones she had been so accustomed to seeing.

"Really? In that entire dynasty there isn't one person you dislike?" Draco asked, his lips twitching upwards.

"Well…" Ginny started. "Sometimes Percy gets on my last nerve…" Noticing a stray curl near her cheek, she quickly tucked it behind her ear.

Draco's eyes widened in surprise before laughing. "I didn't actually expect you to answer. I thought you'd claim family loyalty or something."

"I didn't say I dislike him! I wouldn't trade him or anything," Ginny quickly replied, her cheeks flushing. He just knew exactly what to say to get her riled up. While in the past she would have hated him for it, she wasn't sure she could anymore.

Just then, Kendra came back into the room, clipboard in hand. She glanced down and called out, "Draco Malfoy." She headed back towards the doorway, jotting down some notes with her quill.

Draco reluctantly stood up and stretched, as they had been waiting for some time. Ginny couldn't help but notice his muscles shifting in his upper arms and back through his soft cashmere maroon jumper. Dropping his arms, he turned around to her, and she quickly averted her eyes to the fireplace to the right of them, as if she had been focused on examining its immaculate design the whole time.

"By the way, I forgot to tell you something the other night," Draco began, his eyes twinkling mischievously.

Ginny's heart quickened. What on earth did he have to say now? "Oh?"

"You looked stunning at Cotillion, Ginevra," he said sincerely, a genuine smile dancing on his lips. Leaving her dumbfounded and blushing, he made his way to the exit. Ginny watched as Draco's form disappeared while he whistled a tune as he wandered off. Normally, she would have threatened to hex anyone who used her given name, as it was something she detested. But coming out of Draco's mouth, in that seductively deep register, well she quite liked that. And had he really said she looked stunning? _Merlin, this man really is going to be the death of me,_ Ginny thought to herself as she slumped in her seat.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I was hoping to get this chapter out sooner but the holiday got in the way. That lovely hate/love quote that Lena says is from an episode of Doctor Who, "Mummy on the Orient Express". I only borrowed it because it so eloquently explained what I'd been trying to put into words! Also wanted to say only got halfway through the NaNoWriMo challenge, but still happy I finally attempted it - and it helped me jump start the next idea for my longfic! Hope you enjoyed – please leave a review on your way out!


	10. Future

**DISCLAIMER: **The usual applies; anything familiar is not mine. And, apologies in advance for any spelling/grammar errors – I'm sleepy but just wanted to get this chapter up!

* * *

><p><strong>ten. future.<strong>

As he wandered down the corridor towards the office, Draco wasn't entirely sure what had come over him during that conversation. He was attempting to make conversation with the witch, but somehow it came out incredibly flirty the entire time. Then she had to go and bite her lip. It was utterly distracting. Draco was barely able to focus on the conversation after that. To top it all off, a stray lock of hair had escaped from her ponytail and fell near her cheek. He wanted desperately to carefully put it back in its place and caress her cheek. Then it had made him recall their kiss once again, and then all hell broke loose in his mind.

From there he consciously decided to tell her she looked fantastic at the Cotillion. Draco had finally resigned to the fact that he had some sort of feelings for her. What they were, he wasn't sure, but he decided he would explore this opportunity. She clearly hadn't slapped him or hexed him since that evening, so that was a good sign.

Bet be damned, he decided. He turned the knob to the study and walked in. Draco Malfoy was going to see where this path would lead him, for himself, and not for the bet. He wanted to go about this in the proper manner, whatever _this _was. He still wasn't sure exactly, but he was excited to find out, which hadn't happened in so long. Draco smiled at the thought as he sat down in the empty chair in front of the large desk.

The study had once been his father's, now commandeered by his mother as she oversaw some of the projects under the Malfoy umbrella. It was a lot like his own in his wing, although on a larger scale. There were books in multiple languages sitting on the shelf. Some languages he never even knew existed until he started to explore the rare treasures catching dust. The desk stood in front of a floor to ceiling window panes that overlooked the front of the Manor.

The chair behind the desk swiveled around, and he saw his mother sitting there, looking quite irritated. Though she looked regal as ever in her finest navy robes, her shiny hair immaculately pulled back, he could easily sense her exasperation. She plucked the reading glasses off of her face and set them down, rubbing her strained eyes.

Draco was confused. "Wait, wasn't Kendra supposed to speak with me?" He voiced his thoughts out loud, frowning. "I thought you weren't supposed to show favoritism."

"I needed a break," Narcissa explained tiredly. "The last student I had a session was getting on my last nerve. Besides, it's not like the rest of the students will know you're meeting with me."

"Who got on your nerves?" Draco asked, easily plucking a biscuit from the plate in front of him as he slid into the empty chair across from his mother.

"Oh, no one..." Narcissa trailed off, trying to dismiss the matter. However, after several moments, she was unable to keep it to herself. "It was that tart Cornwall. If her mother didn't donate thousands of Galleons every year to our charity events, I would half a mind to turn her away."

Draco snorted inelegantly. His mother _was_ right, she was a complete tart. Cornwall was actually a former Ravenclaw, but rather than use her intelligence for good, she cast it aside and attempted to work off of her looks and connections.

"You know this doesn't leave the room nor can you use it for leverage in anyway, dear?" Narcissa gave a stern look at her son.

"Yes, Madam," Draco replied with a smirk. Oh, he couldn't wait to tell Blaise that all of their suspicions about Cornwall were true.

"Not even to Blaise," she added expectantly.

His face remained unchanged, though internally he wondered how she knew that. How was it that mothers were always one step ahead of their children? Draco knew she didn't need to use Legilimency to know what he was thinking.

"So… What exactly are we supposed to talk about?" Draco asked in a bored tone, now generously lathering jam onto a scone.

"This meeting is primarily about your future endeavors and where you plan to see yourself in the next five years," Narcissa explained. "But, of course, I generally know your future plans, what with keeping the Estate in order."

Narcissa paused to glance at several sheets of parchment on her desk, diverting her attention away from her son. Draco let out a sigh he hadn't known he was holding. While it was true that that was his primary vocation as of late, he never planned that to be his sole occupation. He never really got the opportunity to explore different career paths during his school days. Spending your later, formative years being terrified that the Dark Lord was going to take the lives of the ones you loved didn't exactly help. By the time he had the chance to try to gather his bearings and attempt to navigate the strange, cold world of adulthood, his father had passed away unexpectedly. Once again forcing Draco into a position he hadn't gotten the chance to choose for himself.

Eventually casting the documents aside, Mrs. Malfoy looked back up at her son with a smile. "Well, since I already know of your future endeavors, how are things going with Miss Weasley?" Narcissa asked, pouring herself her fourth cup of tea that day.

"It's not bad," Draco replied, feebly attempting to mask the glee in his voice. "She's quite alright when she's not trying to kill me."

"I take it you're getting along then?" Narcissa asked with an eyebrow raised as she brought the cup to her lips. She gave him a knowing smirk. Many would assume that the smirk was a Malfoy trait, but little did they know that Draco had inherited it from Narcissa.

"Yes, I believe so," Draco said carefully, trying not to give his mother any idea as to what exactly was emerging behind her back. Although, he couldn't help that his lips slightly twitched upwards.

"Well, that's good to hear," Narcissa said, pausing to jot down some notes. Draco did his best to casually lean over and see what she was writing, but much to his frustration, everything she wrote was being scrambled into code as soon as the ink was etched onto the parchment. _Damn my father and his paranoid Malfoy ways,_ Draco cursed mentally. It appeared that the paranoia had rubbed off on his mother.

"It's no use trying to read, dear," Narcissa said, still not looking up from her notebook. Draco huffed like a petulant child but said nothing. She really did take this thing so damn seriously. It was a bloody etiquette school!

She set down her quill and looked up at him, her clear blue eyes matching her expressionless face, "Has she discussed her life plans with you?"

Draco nearly choked on the tea he was consuming at that very moment. Instead, he ended up snorting unsophisticatedly and instead the liquid went down the wrong tube. Or rather up as he could feel the liquid reaching his head as the sting became stronger as the seconds went by. Trying to ignore the clawing sensation, he stuttered, "W-What?"

Simply ignoring the distress her son was in Narcissa replied, "What are her plans for the future?"

"Well, she just completed St. Mungo's Healer Program," Draco responded, crossing his arms as the strange sensation tickling his brain slowly began to dissipate. "Which she feels to remind me day in and day out."

"That's a very prestigious program," Narcissa said solemnly. "And a very noble profession. But I wouldn't expect anything less from a Weasley."

"She's actually not bad, either," Draco added, though quickly clamped his mouth shut. He still hadn't told his mother about the peacock fiasco, knowing that she would be angry at him and somehow spin it by implying that he mistreated the peacocks. Never mind the fact that her own flesh and blood was almost mortally wounded by the beast!

"You wouldn't mind if she continued with her career?" Narcissa asked, clasping both of her hands in front of her.

"No? Why would I? She can do what she wants," Draco said, his brows furrowing in confusion. He had no idea what he had to do with any of Ginny's plans. At least Ginny had other interests outside of herself, he reasoned, unlike others he knew.

Quickly scribbling down a few more notes, Narcissa gently closed her notebook and set her peacock feathered quill atop it. Momentarily rearranging everything neatly on her nearly spotless desk, she said, "I'm glad the partnership is prospering, Draco. Miss Weasley can surely use someone who has as much experience as you do with our society to teach her our ways."

Draco couldn't help but notice a mysterious glint in his mother's azure eyes. It was similar to those strange twinkles Albus Dumbledore used to get. It terrified him. If oh so noble Dumbledore had such grand plans tucked in his sleeve, just what could his loving but manipulative mother get up to? He shuddered at the thought of it.

He was about to ask just what the big idea was, but was interrupted once again by Kendra. _Damn that witch, _Draco thought, _always turning up at the least opportune moments. _

"I'm sorry to interrupt Mrs. Malfoy, but time is up," Kendra said, standing at the door, her hand still on the knob.

"Ah, yes," Narcissa said with a twinge of disappointment. Draco could tell she was at her wit's end after interacting with some of the more moronic students of the class. Mrs. Malfoy turned back to her son with a slightly sad smile. "I'm afraid I must let you go. I must soldier on and deal with the rest of the class."

"You mean dimwits?" Draco supplied, rising from the chair.

"Draco! You'll say no such thing!" Narcissa chastised, though she was unable to hide her smile.

"Whatever you say, Mother," Draco said in farewell, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek before he headed out the door. "Whatever you say."

* * *

><p>That Wednesday afternoon, Ginny slouched into her now usual seat across Draco. He saw the grim expression she gave him and figured it was probably due to this morning's Quidditch results. He knew she was into the sport, but Merlin, she was nearly maniacal about it. Draco had never met someone <em>that <em>into Quidditch, even trumping his own obsession. It slightly unnerved him. Ginny knew nearly every stat about every player and the full histories about each team; she was like a walking _Quidditch Through the Ages._

As he took a bite out of his own sandwich, Draco couldn't help but be entranced by the way she dug into her own meal with gusto. Many of the women he knew would take small, careful bites so as not to drop anything or get food on their face. Not Ginny. She completely went for it and began to chomp away at the sandwich. Parts of the vegetables and meat slipped out from the pieces of bread, plopping onto her plate. He couldn't help but smirk at her when he noticed a mustard stain that ended up on her right cheek. Ginny looked up at him with a dark expression that threatened to wipe the very smirk off of his face. This only caused his smirk to turn into a smile and he bit his cheek to as not laugh out loud. It was difficult to look threatening when she had food on her face.

"You put that smirk away, Draco Malfoy," Ginny grumbled, absently wiping her face with a napkin. Draco had assumed right that she had already looked through that morning's _Daily Prophet _Sports section. The Cannons were doing dismal in the league, and Draco knew all too well that was the primary team she cheered for, aside from the Harpies.

"Oh, what has happened, dear Ginerva?" he asked, his voice as thick as syrup, rubbing salt in her wound.

"The Cannons have lost yet again, taking them out of the running for this year's finals," she moaned, unable to bring her forkful of salad to her mouth. "My bracket is going to be ruined!"

"What bracket?" Draco asked as he took another bite of his own sandwich. He hadn't realized there was some sort of method to her madness, rather than a seemingly unbridled passion for the sport.

"Every year, my brothers create a bracket for all of the U.K. Quidditch teams. They predict who will make it to the finals." she explained as she reached for a second sandwich. He marveled at how much she could eat and the fact that it seemingly vanished into thin air. "Whosever bracket is the most accurate wins the pot."

Stopping to take a bite into her sandwich, she continued. "And this year, they've FINALLY let me into the game. So, naturally, I'm determined to beat my brothers."

"Why didn't you ask for my help? I'm skilled at these things you know," Draco bragged as subtly as he could, which wasn't much for a Malfoy.

"Oh, I had help. I consulted with Oliver Wood. Did you know he's on Puddlemere United? Finally got the primary Keeper position," Ginny told him. "He's actually a friend of my brothers', but I managed to convince him to help me out instead," she grinned mischievously. "He's a bit of a looker too."

At that last comment, Draco's cloudy eyes grew murky while his jaw tightened. Was he _jealous?_ Hell yes, he was. While it wouldn't have bothered him if she was talking to a bloke, he didn't take kindly to the fact that she thought said bloke was attractive. She evidently didn't notice the shift in his demeanor as she munched away at her sandwich. "Between his help and my own instincts, I cross-referenced nearly every Quidditch article and their predictions."

"Besides, we were not on speaking terms at that time," she added airily, taking a sip of her pumpkin juice. How strange it sounded that there was life before Ginny had entered his. He felt like he could scarcely remember a moment before Ginny had become a new constant in his life. Whether it was nagging her, teasing her, helping her, or just engaging her in conversation. It was so odd to think of a time before that.

"Well, is your bracket completely ruined?" he asked with a tone of concern, much to Ginny's surprise as her auburn eyes looked up from her plate in surprise. Draco realized long ago that she was very competitive and throwing in sibling rivalry only intensified the situation.

"Oh, no," she said with an impish grin. "What my brothers haven't been tracking as carefully as I have is the astronomical success of the Harpies. I've placed them close to the end of my bracket, as I'm pretty sure they're going to make it close, if not take the final slot. I spent days pouring over all of the sporting analytics. By the time they realize what I've done, it'll be too late." She was quite proud of herself, as she explained how she had gone through all of the calculations between all of the various Quidditch commentators. She had even taken it upon herself to read newspapers in other languages with the aid of a translating spell, something her brothers either had little time for or little interest, depending on the Weasley.

"Wow, Ginny," he observed, doing his best not to sound too affected. "That's downright Slytherin of you." Though Draco truly was impressed; it took a lot of dedication to do that.

"Thank you?" she replied with uncertainty. "I guess I'll take that as a compliment."

"Oh you should," butted in Blaise, joining their conversation. "You are quite the conniver and one we all aspire to be."

They laughed and continued conversing, everyone placing bets on which team would win next. Draco carefully placed his money on the Falmouth Falcons, though he was slightly hesitant upon shaking on the deal. There was a good chance that Ginny would collect some Galleons by the end of the week between the boys and Lena. They finished their lunch and headed to their afternoon lesson at the sound of the gong. As they made their way to outside to the sun room that went out towards the garden, he wondered what they were doing today out here.

"Draco, you've any idea we're doing today?" Ginny asked voicing his own thoughts while he had gentlemanly opened the door her.

"We better not be gardening," Draco complained. He hated when his mother would force him to come out here and do such menial labor, and by hand no less! She may seek enlightenment by being one with the earth, but all he got out of it were stained trousers. It was such a dirty, undignified job.

"Afraid of getting dirt on your fancy jumpers, Draco?" Ginny teased with a knowing smile.

"No!" Draco lied through his teeth. "But honestly, I have no idea about today. Mother wouldn't give me any indication. I'm not sure why," Draco remarked with a puzzled look on his face, his brows furrowing.

And now he knew why when he trailed in behind her. As Draco's eyes soaked in the scene before him, it seemed like there were hundreds of kids everywhere! Okay, probably dozens, but it felt like they were multiplying in front of his eyes. Some kids were crying while others were whinging. Others looked nervous while a few of them looked as if they didn't have a care in the world. The oldest didn't look a day over seven. Everyone had convened into the sunroom by now, which was furnished with dark wicker furniture paired with comfy looking pillows and cushions. Pots with both rare and common plants were sprinkled about, only adding to the feeling like one was sitting outside though they were protected from the elements by the glass.

* * *

><p>"I see we've become the Babysitter's Club of MVO again," Draco muttered.<p>

"Oh, come on, Draco. They're not even that bad! They're pretty adorable!" Ginny cried, eyeing the children.

Draco glanced around and saw a dark haired boy snatch a building block from a girl, who proceeded to start bawling. "Oh, yeah, adorable," he said sarcastically.

"Well, not every child is a saint," Ginny countered. "It's not like you were."

"Neither were you," Draco pointed out childishly, evidently remembering her horrid Bat Bogey Hex.

Ginny was ready to reply by saying that it was _his_ fault that she wasn't a saintly child, but Narcissa had decided to enter the room and tried to capture everyone's attention. Between the buzzing students and the carefree children, it was difficult to get everyone to quiet down. She sighed in frustration, ultimately waving her wand at the crowd, shouting, "_Silencio!"_ Immediately, a blanket of silence fell over the room. Some of the students attempted to groan, only to settle for a roll of their eyes. The children, on the other hand, blankly looked at each other, moving their mouths, still expecting words to come out but to little avail.

Narcissa's face lit up with a satisfied smile as she made her way to the center of the room, navigating her way through the children occupying the floor. Placing her wand back into her dusty pink robes for the time being, she began her introduction. "Good afternoon, class. Since this week we have been focusing on companionship and the future, the natural progression is usually marriage, which generally includes children."

She paced up and down, watching her students squirm under her stern gaze. "As such, another test of your partnership will be seeing how you deal with these children. This afternoon, each couple will be assigned two children, and will be in their charge for the duration of the exercise. The results from this assignment will not only be up to me, but also the children." Narcissa seemed to get joy from the students' horrified stares, Ginny noticed.

"Since when has my mother become so sadistic in her older age?" Draco muttered to her, under his breath. Ginny failed miserably in an attempt to stifle her snort at Draco's comment.

"And remember, children are very honest. There is no fooling them, so be sure to make your best effort," Mrs. Malfoy concluded. She flicked her wand, ending the silencing spell.

Draco warily eyed the children while Ginny was eager to interact others outside of her peer group with which she had been holed up with for several weeks. She doubted that Malfoy had much experience in these manners, and it was one of the few things she had _some_ experience since she occasionally babysat Teddy Lupin.

As the groups began to disperse, Narcissa walked over to Draco and Ginny flanked by a child on both sides of her. The kids were gripping her hands nervously, unsure of what to expect as they were being handed off to the much older children. Ginny noticed out of the corner of her eye that Draco nervously ran a hand through his hair as they came closer.

"Mister Malfoy, Miss Weasley, here are your charges for the day," said Narcissa, letting go of the children's hands. "This here is Archibald Travers," she gestured to the young boy. Atop his chubby head were curly tufts of red hair. His chubby arms were folded in a superior manner, and his blue eyes was giving the two of them a stare down, as if he was judging Draco and Ginny. His expression mirrored Draco's own expression: that he wanted to be anywhere but here. "…and this is Viola Abott," Narcissa motioned to the girl. Her big, dark brown eyes eyed the two of them curiously while she maintained an innocent expression. She absent-mindedly twirled one of her long pigtails as she stared up at the twosome. Ginny could sense that there was much more to the little girl than her seemingly innocent demeanor.

"Now, I trust you two to be careful with the two of them," said Narcissa, giving a stronger look to Draco than Ginny. Ginny bit her lip in an attempt to restrain the smirk that was threatening to appear on her face. Did his own mother not trust him?! "You can go outside into the gardens but try not to stray too far out."

With that, Narcissa went off to deliver more children to couples. The foursome stood awkwardly for several moments, Draco looking dumbfounded in the direction Narcissa had walked away to while Ginny still looked like she was trying not to laugh.

She decided it was time to take manners into her own hands as Draco didn't look like he was about to make the first move. Besides, she reasoned, he had helped immensely in the past couple of lessons, so it was her turn to take up the lead in their partnership. "So…" Ginny began, breaking the ice as she rubbed the palms of her hands against each other. Draco shot her a grateful glance, looking pleased that he hadn't had to begin the lesson. "How about we go outside so we can play? My name is Ginny, by the way, and this is Draco."

Both of the children nodded and Ginny took Archibald's hands into hers. Before he could take another step forward, Viola quickly began pulling at Draco's hand, leading him outside. Draco awkwardly clasped his hand around the girl's smaller hand while Voila aggressively lead him outside.

"This girl really is pushy," Draco murmured out of the corner of his mouth to Ginny, narrowing his eyes at the back of her small head.

They eventually reached a relatively empty patch of grass and sat down, crossing their legs. Ginny looked at both of the children and asked, "So, Archibald…"

"It's Archie, not Archibald," the child wrinkled his nose. Ginny tried to her best not to laugh. She could relate to having such a grown-up name at such a young age. "My apologies, Archie," she recanted solemnly. "How old are you?"

"I'm five," he replied proudly, displaying five pudgy fingers in front of her face.

"Oh, yeah? _I'm_ five and a half," Viola interrupted with an air of superiority. Archie pulled a face and stuck his tongue out at her. Not phased at all by her counterpart's reaction, she asked, "How old are you, Ginny?"

"Oh, me? I'm twenty and three quarters," she replied with a smile.

Draco couldn't resist butting in a similar manner as Viola had just done. "And _I'm_ twenty-two." At first Ginny gave him a look rivaling Archie's and stuck her tongue out, but was unable to hold it seriously for too long.

As if imbued with a sense of confidence by the previous moment, Draco asked the children, "So, what would you two like to do today?"

They glanced around at what the other groups were doing. Some children were playing easy games like tag or hide-and-seek. Others were creating up a storm with the variety of paints that had been supplied. Several of the kids were swinging to their hearts' content as well as going down the slippery and coiling slides on a play set that had been assembled for this occasion. However, Archie looked around the field and noticed a couple of children wobbling in the air on mini broomsticks. He extended his arm out and pointed in their direction, "That."

Draco's eyes widened but quickly plastered a nonchalant expression on his face. He looked like he wanted nothing more than to sit quietly with the children during the duration of the class, lest they get a scratch on them. Ginny resisted the urge to bring her hand to her forehead. It was always a dangerous idea to give the kids that much free reign. However, she saw just how much Draco was squirming and knew she was going to enjoy today's activity.

"That sounds fantastic!" Ginny exclaimed, flashing them a smile. Draco grumbled something about child safety and liability, but Ginny ignored him as she Summoned one of the mini broomsticks.

"All right, you two are in luck today! Not only was I one of the best Quidditch players of my year at Hogwarts-" Draco snorted inelegantly. Ginny shot him a withering glare but continued. "-but so was Draco." She paused to give him a saccharine smile, indicating that he had snorted too soon. She hated to admit it, but he _was_ pretty good at the sport back in their Hogwarts days. "I usually played as a Chaser and he was a Seeker." Both of the children looked up at them wide-eyed in amazement.

She examined the toy broom in her hands, which was about half the size of a standard broomstick. Ginny abruptly handed off the broom to Draco, who took it with bewildered expression. It felt almost comical in his hands since it was so small. "I'm not wearing the proper clothes for this," Ginny said, indicating at her skirt fell well past her knees. Had she been forewarned of the situation, she would have happily trotted out in a pair of jeans. "But Draco would be more than happy to teach you."

"Oh, no, no, no," Draco said, speaking up. "You Summoned the broom, you teach the lesson."

"Do you really want me to hike up my skirt and hop onto this broom?" Ginny asked in a clipped manner.

His eyes easily raked in her exposed legs, going up and down her body. A wolfish grin came over his face as he considered it for a moment seriously. "Well…"

"DRACO!" Ginny exclaimed, smacking his shoulder. They were truly setting a bad example for the children, between their arguing and violence.

"Pleaseeeee?" broke in Viola pleadingly, looking up at Draco with her ostensibly unhuman large eyes that seemed to have grown exponentially. He looked at her and back at Ginny who was giving him the same puppy dog look. He sighed warily and gave in.

"You're a bad influence, Gin," Draco grumbled. He motioned for Archie to come over and proceeded to demonstrate how to properly mount the broom. The boy kept trying to climb it, only it was difficult with his short stature. Draco watched idly, and after a couple of failed attempts, he gingerly hoisted the child onto the broom. Archie clumsily mounted it, maintaining a death grip with his hands and legs around the broom. "Now, Archie, you needn't hold it that tight," he explained. "The broom will be one with you. It will respond to your motions and commands."

He proceeded to go through the rest of the explanations, to which Archie fully paid attention, enchanted by Draco's careful instructions and advice. After about half an hour, Archie successfully managed to maneuver himself in the air, even managing a wobbly loop de loop. Draco couldn't help but grin, cheering the kid on. Ginny was pleasantly surprised to see that Draco was not a monster with children. If anyone told her that over a month ago, she would have laughed in their face.

Just as Draco was about to take a break, satisfied with his hard work, when he felt a tug on his sleeve. He looked down to see Viola impatiently looking up at him. "I want to play too!"

"Er, do you want a doll?" Draco asked awkwardly. Ginny rolled her eyes. Okay, so maybe he wasn't _completely_ experienced with children. It seemed that he understood little boys but not little girls, which really were not that much different from boys. Ginny knew; she was one of them once surrounded by too many boys.

"Do you have an action figure of Gwenog Jones?" Viola inquired, as if she was testing him, folding her arms in front of her.

"Uh… No?" Draco answered, unsure, uncomfortably rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well, then, I don't want to play with a dumb doll," Viola snapped, her eyes narrowing at him. "I want to ride on the broom too!"

"Aren't little girls supposed to play with dolls?" He voiced his antiquated idea out loud.

Viola gave him an icy glare, a universal sign from a woman warning a man not to mess with her. Ginny was impressed with how quickly Viola had mastered such a stare; she hadn't gotten the hang of it until she was at least nine. "No! Flying! Now!" Viola demanded, stomping her foot.

Draco looked pleadingly again to Ginny, who was erupting in laughter a few steps to the side of him.

"You're not getting any help from me," Ginny gasped, as her giggles began to subside.

He ushered Archie to gently land to the ground and grabbed the broom, on the way giving Ginny a dirty look, while she gave him an innocent grin. She threw her hands up in surrender, indicating that she had not, in fact, put the child up to this. Viola was a lot like Ginny with her stubborn and spunky personality, but surprisingly kept quiet and listened to Draco carefully throughout his explanations. Viola picked up his instructions faster than Archie, launching herself into the air a full seven minutes before him.

Draco retreated to the area of grass where Ginny was sitting, brushing back his hair that had landed in his eyes. They both supervised while the two kids took turns riding on the broom, all thanks to him. She couldn't help but notice that he looked especially satisfied that the headstrong Abott had heeded his directions well and was merrily flitting about.

"May Merlin, Godric, _and_ Salazar have mercy on your soul the day you have a daughter," Ginny commented with a snicker after examining this never before seen expression of pride emitting from her partner.

"What on earth are you talking about?" Draco said irritably, turning to look at her. He looked relaxed as he leaned back, propping himself up with his elbows.

"All she had to do was look at you with her big eyes, and you easily gave in," Ginny said with a smirk.

"She did not," Draco retorted a bit too defensively.

"Oh, please," chided Ginny with a laugh. "I know that look Viola gave you. Hell, I nearly invented that look."

"I knew you were a bad influence," Draco grumbled. They fell once again into a content silence, enjoying the pleasant warmth of the sun and the light breeze that brushed upon them every so often.

"You know," Ginny began, breaking the silence, turning sideways to look at him. "Even though I definitely want to have children, I don't think I want as many as my parents."

"Really? I figured you'd want a whole gaggle of gingers everywhere," Draco replied with a smirk, his mercurial eyes merry.

"Do YOU want to give birth to seven children?" Ginny blurted. While she enjoyed the endless amount of love, entertainment, and adventure a large family provided, there was no way she was willing to give birth to that many children. She was always proud yet simultaneously confused by her mother's decision to endure the process of having that many kids.

A comical look of disgust and horror settled on Draco's face as her words sunk in. Rearranging his expression to one that of pensiveness, he confessed, "I'd want a couple myself, I suppose."

"Really?" Ginny said, flabbergasted. "I'd have thought you wouldn't like children." But then, she had misjudged him earlier; he seemed to do better with children than with people his own age.

"Well, they're not exactly my favorite type of people," Draco said, gazing back out at the field dotted with children and adults.

"What type people are your favorite?" Ginny snorted.

"I guess… no one really... But, it's not all that cracked up to be an only child. Especially in a house as large as this," Draco commented rather wistfully. She felt a pang of sadness for him. While it was clear he was well loved by his parents, as she could see Narcissa did her best not to dote on him in front of the rest of the class, it still must have been lonely at times.

The children continued to take a few more turns on the broom, until it began to take a turn for the worse, as Archie began hogging the broom, while Viola's face was getting redder and redder out of anger. Sensing that it was time to bring it all in, Kendra ushered the class back to the sunroom. Draco picked up the equipment and threw the broom over his shoulder as they headed back. The kids were animatedly talking with Ginny, detailing their harrowing accounts being aboard the broom. As they were about to bid farewell to the children, Viola motioned for him to come down to his level. He kneeled down on one knee, now level with her.

The girl's defiant look was now replaced with a happy expression, making her look her full six and a half years of age. She suddenly threw her arms around his neck and said, "Thank you, Mr. Draco!" Draco stiffened, startled by the little girl's reaction. He eventually recovered, awkwardly patting her on the back.

"You're, uh, welcome," Draco muttered as she let go of him, his cheeks flushing. The children wandered off back to Narcissa, ready to be delivered back to their parents. Once Narcissa dismissed the class for the day, the pair began to make their way back into the manor.

"You weren't half bad with them, you know," Ginny commented, smiling as she turned her head to look at him.

Draco merely grunted in response, unsure of what to say, as they walked into the cool Manor.

"You would make a good teacher," Ginny spoke up again with a knowing smile.

Draco turned to look down at her with a surprised expression. "Really?"

"Yeah, I mean, look at how you helped me through the past couple of lessons, especially the table manners one," she explained. "And look, you just taught two six year olds how to fly! With no hiccups!"

"I suppose," Draco said, thoughtfully. She knew that he had a lot of work managing the various enterprises of the Malfoy Estate, but this could also be a viable career option as well.

"Have you ever thought about it?" Ginny blurted out, her curious coffee eyes looking into his steely orbs.

"About what?" Draco asked, although it seemed like he knew what she was talking about.

"About teaching," Ginny replied with a roll of her eyes.

"I've never really thought about," he admitted. They passed the foyer and the now familiar fountain that was brimming water, heading further back into the house towards the staircases.

"Besides, who's going to listen to me, anyway?" Draco broke the silence, sounding slightly defeated. She had expected Draco to be arrogant about his talents, much like he always was, but he didn't even bother to put on the façade.

"Those two kids just did," Ginny reminding him.

"I guess," Draco said simply. Bidding her farewell as they both separated to wash up for dinner, Ginny felt saddened by the fact that for once he lacked confidence in an area that he should very well take pride in.

**A/N:** Hope this was a fun chapter! Excited that I got to write a little more Narcissa this time. Also, can I just say I'm cracking up about the Sacred Twenty-Eight coming up in Draco's biography posted by JKR?! (lots of feelings about his whole background). Anyway, I hope to have a New Year's fic whenever I do make the next update, so hopefully that'll be fun. Happy Holidays! Please leave a review on your way out – they seriously make my day when I get that little notification on my phone. :)


	11. Riding

**eleven. riding.**

It was another week and another lesson. This week they would be focusing on recreational activities. While Ginny would have much preferred to play a game of Quidditch, apparently that was too low brow for upper-class society. As Narcissa had noted in that morning's lecture, those that did not have proper attire would be provided ones by the Conservatory. Surely enough, when Ginny returned to her room after finishing lunch, she found a complete outfit waiting on her bed. However, Ginny was baffled by the garments because the afternoon's lesson was focused on horseback riding. The outfit _was_ lovely, with its heavy, deep purple skirt with structured pleats that flowed down and its matching double breasted, formfitting jacket, accompanied with an ebony riding hat. Her newly polished mahogany boots gleamed under the sun's blazing gaze coming through the window as they stood neatly to the left of the bench in front of her bed. The only thing she didn't understand was why they weren't wearing trousers. While the skirt did have a generous split to allow for wider movement, it still didn't seem very practical. These were just some of the thoughts still running through her mind as she and Draco headed out to the stables that afternoon.

Draco looked utterly dapper in his riding attire as he strolled a couple of steps in front of her. If she thought his Quidditch uniform looked good on him, this ensemble took it to another level. His exquisite light grey breeches outlined his bum wonderfully which were tucked into his sleek and shiny ebony riding boots. Each brass button on his navy blazer was carefully buttoned, with its primly pressed ash-colored lapels. Below, she could see a checkered green shirt with a tie of the same color paired with it. Underneath his right arm was his helmet and riding crop. She was pretty sure he didn't even have to ride the damn horse yet he would still win whatever competition he was in, just based on how good he looked. Life was not fair... or was it? At least she got to enjoy the view.

"How does any woman ride around in these heavy clothes?" Ginny complained as she made her way through the field as she picked up her skirt slightly. She quickly fell into step with his stride, hastening to keep up with him.

"Can you even breathe in that outfit?" Draco inquired with a smirk.

"What are you trying to say?" Ginny asked apprehensively, her eyes narrowing up at him. Didn't Draco know it was unwise to ask about a woman's weight?

"You're not wearing a corset, are you?" He drawled as he carefully placed his helmet on top of his platinum crown. Having tried her own hat earlier, Ginny was pleased to discover that there were charms cast on the headwear to prevent from ruining the wearer's hair.

"No," she said sharply, her eyes growing larger in anxiety. "It's just a rather rude thing to ask of a woman."

"Don't get your knickers in a twist. I would just like to point out that my mother isn't as much of a sadist as I had thought. There must be some sort of enhancement spell applied to the clothes without suffocating you," Draco explained, putting out the alarming fire that was catching in the pit of her stomach.

"Oh," she said lamely.

"But then," Draco added. "Once upon a time, apparently women didn't even wear undergarments," he smirked.

She smacked him on the arm forcefully. "See, now you're just being perverted."

"You started this conversation about clothes," Draco pointed out.

"Perhaps, and I'm now ending it," Ginny stated in finality. She paused for a minute as she carefully placed her hat atop her head along with her riding gloves. It was also a good opportunity to steal another glance at his bum.

"You can stop ogling now," Draco called out to her, walking in front of her once again. She was not doing anything of the sort! Well, perhaps, she was, but how did he know that? Once again she suspiciously wondered if he was skilled in Legilimency. He turned around, now walking backwards. His head cocked sideways and he remarked, "You know, it makes me feel objectified."

"I was not!" Ginny said a little too fiercely. She felt her face betraying her as it flushed red. "I'm just irritated at the fact that you look smart while I look antiquated in this Victorian garb."

He turned forward and began leading the way again. "So you noticed I look smart? So you _were_ checking me out." Ginny could practically hear his smirk just from the tone of his voice.

"Why can't we wear pants?" Ginny pouted, evading his question with another question. She stole one last glance at his bottom half as he still strode in front of her.

"Because women ride side saddle," Draco responded as he put his own gloves on.

"Please tell me you're joking," Ginny pleaded as he slowed down in order for her to catch up. Her skirt rigidly moved around her as she moved to become shoulder to shoulder with Draco.

"Afraid not, Ginevra," Draco drawled. She always involuntarily shivered whenever he uttered her full name. He just had to know it had some sort of effect on her, no matter how much she tried look unperturbed.

"You would think it would be men riding side-saddle," she reasoned matter of factly. "Logically, it would make much more sense anatomically."

Draco stopped in his tracks, pausing to think about Ginny's statement, nearly causing her to ram into him as a result of his sudden halt. "Touché, Ginny. I've never thought about that." Indeed, he did look mildly impressed at this revelation.

"That's because logic has no place here at Charm School," Ginny scoffed. "And clearly a few wankers couldn't wrap their minds around the thought of a woman straddling a horse simply for transportation purposes. It probably would have exploded their peanut sized brains."

They continued to walk for a few more minutes, Ginny blindly following as Draco continued to lead the way. She hadn't the faintest idea where they were going. They had long passed the Quidditch Pitch and the pond adjacent to it. Minutes continued to pass until she asked impatiently, "Where are these stables, anyway? Why have I never seen them while I've been outside?"

"Because they're far past the Quidditch field," Draco answered.

"Just how much land do the Malfoys even own?" Ginny wondered out loud.

Draco had think about it for a minute, his expression to changing to that of one pondering. "This Manor alone is about 5,000 acres, give or take," he finally responded.

Ginny blanched at the answer. She was staying in some exotic land for the past month! "And now I regret asking," she groaned. "The Burrow is like a shoebox in comparison."

The arrived at the stables a short while later, and were one of the last couples to reach the destination. Draco tried not to laugh at the sight before him. The class stood beside the stables were the horses were normally housed. The horses were currently milling about in the large corral, which was also equipped with various bars and gates for jumping. Meanwhile, the students looked utterly ridiculous in their riding gear, especially the women. Why his mother hadn't allowed them to wear breeches just like the men, was beyond him. He knew that Narcissa herself refused to wear those impractical skirts in addition to riding side-saddle. _Such a hypocrite, sometimes,_ Draco thought to himself.

He did notice that Ginny looked divine though, in spite of the costume-like outfit. Underneath her hat, her soft, wavy hair was pinned up in a bun, though wispy curls escaped, framing her face. She truly looked like a true lady in the making with her long, imperial skirt paired with the elegant coat. It was interesting seeing the juxtaposition of the masculine clothing on such a feminine figure like Ginny's. While she looked every bit the aristocrat, she brought a certain amount of strength in the outfit.

"Welcome to this afternoon's lesson, class," Narcissa began, causing Draco to slowly shift his focus to his mother, though his eyes lingered for several more moments on Ginny. "Now that we've gone through many of the critical topics for a successful couple, it is also important to partake in recreational activities."

Ginny had walked over to him, standing by his shoulder and whispered teasingly, "You mean you stuffy blue-bloods actually have fun?"

He looked down at her to see a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "Why, of course not. It's simply a means to make connections with other likeminded wealthy folk."

"Figures," she muttered with a roll of her eyes, though he could detect the faintest smile on her face.

"Please join your partners and saddle up, all!" Narcissa called out. "We will simply be taking a leisurely ride through the woods because everyone is at different levels of experience."

Daphne, who looked glamourous in a deep red tweed skirt and matching jacket threw a pointed look at Ginny. Draco rolled his eyes. He figured she would have calmed down by now and laid off Ginny. Did she really have to rile up Ginny once again? To her credit, Ginny remained steadfast and stony faced, completely ignoring her for once. Maybe she had somehow matured in the month that had gone by.

The walked up to two horses, one a brown mare with big eyes and the other a white stallion, with a glossy coat of hair. Ginny squealed out of excitement, a noise that made Draco wince. It was such an unexpected noise coming from her, but he supposed many girls got pretty excited at seeing horses up close and in person.

Ginny strode up to the brown mare and patted its body, stroking it gently. The mare's large, dark eyes matched Ginny's own as she looked at the two horses in amazement. It was then that she apparently noticed just how beautiful the white stallion was. As if distracted by a shinier toy, Ginny went over to the stallion.

Draco tried to stop her, as that was his own horse, Thuban, and one that wasn't entirely friendly around new people. However, to his surprise the horse barely reacted, and let Ginny pet him. She sighed in contentment as she patted his nose, nuzzling her own face into his gleaming coat.

Draco sighed in defeat. "I guess I'll take the mare?"

"Perhaps," Ginny agreed with an evil smile. Draco rolled his eyes while he pulled his wand out from the inside of his jacket. He levitated the saddle that was meant for Ginny to the stallion and switched it with his own saddle. With another flourish, he buckled the extra strap underneath the horse's belly. He gently patted the horse for his very good behavior and gave Thuban a carrot from his pocket before walking back to the mare. As stubborn as ever, Ginny tried to hoist herself up, but kept slipping as she was unused to sitting atop a horse, or any type of vehicle for that matter, side saddle.

"Isn't there a damn stool around?" She grouched, slightly out of breath. Her hat had long fallen off, and the stray curls kept getting in her face.

"Afraid not," Draco answered, walking over to her to assist. While in the past she would have pushed him away as if he was patronizing her, she willingly accepted his assistance.

"Okay, ready?" Draco said, gesturing for her to get into place so he could help her up. Gently, he hoisted her up by her right foot, while she leaned onto his shoulders as she awkwardly perched herself on top of the horse. Draco gently moved her leg over one of the pummels while motioning for her to tuck the other leg underneath the second pummel. "They act as two hooks to keep your legs in place so you don't fall off. Make sure to grip them tightly with your leg, so you maintain your balance," Draco explained firmly, to which Ginny nodded.

Draco bent down to grab her hat and cane, he handed the two back to Ginny. While she easily placed the hat back onto her head, he couldn't help but notice that she looked regal above the horse and she probably didn't even realize it. Except for the puzzled expression cast over her face as she stared down at the cane in her hand. Looking up at him slightly alarmed she queried, "What am I supposed to do with this?"

"Relax," Draco explained, and the anxiety in her eyes quickly dissipated. "It's not for you to hit my horse. Because your leg isn't straddling on this side, you need the cane to nudge him to move in the direction you want to go to."

"Oh, thank goodness," Ginny sighed in relief. Draco handed her the reigns, which she took carefully. Trudging back to his own ride, he brought the mare closer to her the stallion. Using spare ropes around the mare, he connected her horse to his with a few easy flicks of his wand. Draco figured it would be easier this way since she was an inexperienced rider and clearly uncomfortable in the position she was sitting in. This way, he could easily lead her around and she wouldn't have to do too much work to direct the horse.

He then swiftly hoisted himself on top of the mare, and motioned for it to start moving. Ginny did the same, and soon they fell into place together, forming a sort of horse parade with the rest of the class. They were both agreeably enjoying the sunlight filtering through the cracks of the canopied forest while a pleasant breeze flowed through.

For all of her complaints, Ginny had to admit to herself she was enjoying the stroll through the forestry of Malfoy Manor. She was eternally thankful for the leisurely pace they were all trotting about at. Her heavy garments weren't as much of a hindrance as she assumed. Their conversation was pleasant while she got to explore never before seen parts of the estate while Draco filled her on the various landmarks they had seen. The Malfoy's Wiltshire estate was much more extensive than she had ever realized.

However, one thing was becoming a larger nuisance by the second. Her leg was beginning to stiffen from being in the same position for far too long. She could feel that familiar prickling up and down her leg which was the telltale sign that it was beginning to fall asleep.

"Honestly," Ginny grumbled, as she reached down to massage the impending numbness out of her leg. "This side saddle thing is nonsensical. An hour into this and I still feel like I can barely control what's happening."

"So, you like to be control, eh, Weasley?" A deep voice said to the right of her. She turned to look at Blaise, who had a wicked smile on his face. Taking his reigns into one hand, he cupped his mouth with the other and hollered, "You hear that Malfoy?"

Ginny rolled her eyes and tried her hardest not to turn beet red at his very obvious attempt at innuendo. She had a feeling that her cheeks still colored slightly as much as she willed them not to. She drew herself up as tall as she could, despite being atop the horse, and narrowed her eyes at him. "And so what if I do?" Ginny replied with a fierce glint in her eyes.

"Well… Um… I-I…" Blaise stuttered aimlessly, unable to string together a coherent sentence. Her false bravado had affected him in the way she had hoped.

"Thank Merlin, Gin!" Lena shouted from behind her, perched on her ebony horse. "I think this is the first time Blaise has been rendered speechless."

She also heard Draco chuckling next to her, the hearty sound ringing pleasantly in her ear. "I have to agree, Lena," Draco added once his laughter had subsided.

In time they made their round along the trail and began to head back in the direction towards the stables. Bringing up the tail of the large group, they arrived last to the stable. While many had returned their horses back to their proper stables, Ginny noticed that a crowd was forming near the coral. From her vantage point still sitting on the horse, she saw a red blur trotting around in the corral as onlookers clapped. It was then that she recognized it was Daphne working her way through the obstacle course. The brown and off-white patched horse she was riding was breezily jumping over the gates and barriers, some at least half a foot high. The crowd was cheering Daphne on, only adding fuel to her kindled ego.

Fumbling around for her wand, Ginny abruptly de-attached herself from Draco. She shoved her wand back into its rightful pocket and gently nudged Thuban over to Daphne. She faintly heard Draco beckon her to come back, but instead brushed it off. She was getting tired of Daphne's antics and this was the final straw. Ginny decided that someone needed to put her in her place, and apparently it was going to be her.

Ginny was right by the crowd now, and gave them all contemptuous glares in order to let her pass through. She trotted in with her nose held dismissively high in the air. Right before her eyes, Daphne easily hurdled over two tall gates, to which the crowd responded to with delight. Her eyes narrowed menacingly at her. _That's it,_ she snapped inwardly. She eyed the distance between the gate and the ground carefully. If a cow like Daphne could accomplish this, why couldn't she? How hard could it be? After all, she was a natural born athlete. That had to help in some way, she reasoned.

"Oi, Daphne!" Ginny called out. A small voice in her mind was also telling her that she had gone past mental and into some indescribable state, but she stubbornly quashed it down. Daphne looked up at her from the adoring crowd in curiosity.

Gripping the reigns with determination, she nudged Thuban over to the gates. At first, he refused to move, seemingly getting irritated by her impatient requests, but eventually she ushered him to position in front of the double hurdle. With a firmer nudge, as she had seen Draco do with the mare, she ushered Thuban to jump over the gates. He proceeded to go from his leisurely stroll into a brisk run, coming quickly for the gates. Ginny grinned boastfully at Daphne as she saw they were going to make it over the first hurdle. Just as they were about to, she felt a strong jerk in the opposite direction. Thuban unpredictably bucked violently, brutally throwing Ginny backwards. She felt herself flying in slow motion as she heard the crowed gasp at the precise moment she hit the dirt. Hard.

As she laid there in a crumpled heap, Ginny was absolutely mortified. Riding a horse apparently was nothing like riding a broom. For one thing, her legs weren't securely straddling the horse to begin with, so she lost her balance even quicker than she should have. The world was still black to her as her eyes were squeezed shut, trying to overcome the spinning and the resounding pain erupting in her cranium. Luckily the helmets and hats were charmed with a Cushioning spell and protected her from any serious injury but she still felt it throbbing.

She heard voices cry out and one voice yelling menacingly. It was a familiar male voice. One that usually sounded like it was smirking but was now snarling angrily. One of her eyes opened slightly, and she saw Draco pushing Theo out of his way to run over to her. "Ginny! Ginny!" She heard him call out as he ran over to her. He quickly shrugged off his blazer and knelt down towards her, gently removing her helmet and placing the soft garment under her head.

"Ginny! Answer me!" He cried out in a panic. She was taken aback by the worried pitch in his voice. She forced herself to open her eyes on his behalf and could see his now large pewter eyes gazing at her with concern on his face. It was one of the rare moments Ginny saw his cool façade crumble. He had long cast aside his equipment and helmet, platinum locks falling in his face. She swore there was some sort of halo of light glowing around Draco, but the rational part of her reasoned that it was simply the sun behind him, and perhaps that her head injury was more serious than she thought.

"I'm fine," Ginny said hoarsely, coming back to reality. His eyes relaxed upon hearing her voice and he sat down next to her tiredly, running a hand through his hair.

"Damnit, Weasley, what the hell did you think you were doing?"

"So, it's Weasley now?" Ginny croaked, her throat feeling still feeling scratchy.

"Only when you do something as foolish as this," Draco reprimanded angrily.

She heard Blaise and Lena's voices as they had sifted their way through the crowd and over to them. She also heard Maxwell on their heels as well. The other couple also knelt down next to her, with Lena crying out, "Gin! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Ginny answered feebly. "Though I'm pretty sure my ego's been bruised."

Lena weakly laughed at her attempt to be humorous though she heard Draco mutter darkly, "You're damn lucky it's only your bloody ego."

"Give the woman some room to breathe, why don't you?" She heard Max holler. The rest of them quickly retreated, though Draco refused to budge.

"Silly Weasley," she heard Daphne's venomous voice ring out from above her. Dazedly looking up, she saw three blurred images of Daphne, eventually merging into one solid figure. "You think you're all high and mighty because you've somehow managed to charm Draco? Don't hold your breath. You'll end up just like your mother, marrying beneath you… Though I can't imagine what's beneath a Weasley."

Though her head was pounding despite the protection of the helmet, she fought through the ache and abruptly sat up. "Why, you little-" Ginny shouted, before nearly collapsing back, though Draco and Max caught her before she managed to collapse fully.

At this point Draco stood up with his wand, and proclaimed, "That's it. I'm Flooing the Healer."

"Oh Gods, Draco don't," Ginny nearly wailed. "I _am_ a bloody Healer!"

"One who can barely keep her head up!" Draco snapped, looking down at her. Motioning for Blaise and Max to watch over her, he disappeared into the crowd. She groaned. The situation and escalated so quickly and unnecessarily. It was her own foolhardiness she had gotten into this situation. She arrogantly overestimated herself by thinking that she could accomplish the same feat Daphne had just done moments ago, though Greengrass probably had years of practice. This was Ginny's first time on an actual horse.

Daphne moved away, her sniveling cackle vibrating against her eardrums. She heard a few other laughs creating a chorus of irritating laughter, and Ginny assumed it must be her pack of cronies unabashedly supporting their dastardly leader.

"Miss Greengrass!" Ginny heard Mrs. Malfoy's shrill but deadly voice. The class, which had been buzzing at the whole commotion that had just played out in front of them, quickly stunned itself into silence. Even Daphne had the foresight to quiet down. "I will not tolerate your misbehavior in my Conservatory. Be sure to stop by my office before dinner to discuss this matter further."

"It's not like I did anything to hurt Weasley, Madam Malfoy!" Daphne pouted, unable to let Narcissa have the final word.

"You may have not," Narcissa answered coldly. "But, your verbal abuse will no longer be tolerated in this Conservatory and more importantly, in my home. After dinner."

Ginny heard footsteps retreat in the opposite direction, as the crowd began to disappear, the sounds growing faint. With the help of Blaise and Max, each gently holding her arms, she sat up, the pain in her head becoming slightly less. She no longer felt dizzy, but still slightly dazed. Ginny sat up for several moments until she felt comfortable enough to feel stable in her position. Looking at Lena, who was crouching in front of her, she said in a more steady voice, "Can you tell Draco to calm down and lay off with the Healer? I'm pretty sure I'm not suffering from any life-threatening injury or brain damage."

Lena nodded with a small smile and quickly scampered off in the direction Draco had gone off to. Max and Blaise slowly helped Ginny up and stayed at her side until she was steady enough to stand on her own. Blaise grabbed her helmet and crop as she leaned against the fence of the corral. Both men refused to leave her side as she continued to gather her wits about her. Max conjured up a goblet of water for her, which she gulped down effortlessly.

"You guys, I'm fine," Ginny exhaled deeply as she came up from air after draining the goblet of water. "I've suffered much worse during my Quidditch days at Hogwarts. I just need to make it back up to my room."

"Well, that is what we're here for," Blaise reassured gallantly. Banishing the goblet back to its proper place, they both accompanied her back to the manor, flanking her on each side. It felt like she had bodyguards escorting her back to the house.

"Don't listen to the wench," Max advised as they all fell into a slow rhythm, heading away from the stable.

"Gee," Ginny responded sardonically. "Is that how you talk about all of your friends?"

"Yes," Max replied without missing a beat. "When it accurately describes them."

Blaise chortled in agreement. "Max is right. Daphne is right jealous of you."

"Why would she be jealous of me?" Ginny asked in bewilderment as she turned to look up at Blaise.

"You really don't see it, do you," Max interjected, back on her left side.

"What do you mean?" Ginny inquired, growing more and more annoyed. While her migraine had largely subsided, there was still a dull pain ruminating in her head. Though her adrenaline initially kicked in, blocking much of her pain, she could now feel her back aching from pain and the stiffness in her legs. All of this vagueness was only making her more irritable. She just wanted to take a long nap and a warm bath, not try to read these blokes' minds.

"Do you like Draco?" Max asked, changing the subject. His brown eyes were looking down intensely into hers.

Ginny furrowed her brow, looking at Max with a mix of confusion and irritation. What did this question have to do with anything? "Well, by now I do. What does that matter?"

She noticed Max's jaw stiffen slightly, his face tightening. His normally cheerful brown eyes imperceptibly narrowed darkly. She couldn't exactly read the expression on his face but she was much too tired to figure the mysterious ways of men at this point.

"Because," Blaise cut in. "Daphne's peeved that you've apparently gotten Draco wrapped around your little finger."

"I do not!" Ginny shouted rather quickly. _Seriously?_ Of all the things Daphne had taken issue with Ginny _that_ was the thing that was bothering her to this day? She figured Daphne had finally let up once she realized Ginny was doing dismal in the program. Apparently, her recent success and peace with Draco had manifested a little green monster within Daphne Greengrass.

"If Daphne's problem is about Draco then she can have him," Ginny snipped a bit more forcefully than she intended.

"Oh, believe me she doesn't want him. She's not worried about your relationship per say," Max snorted contemptuously, suddenly coming out of his mysterious reverie. _What relationship?_ Ginny contemplated this as the rose gardens began to come into view. Had Draco told his mates about the kiss? He didn't seem like the type to kiss and tell. More importantly, it was he who initiated it. Draco had his own overinflated pride on the line for his actions.

"She's just concerned you'll take over her high place in society," Blaise added, seeing the pensive expression on Ginny's face.

She figured fighting over so called power was better than fighting her for a man, Ginny reasoned. Although, the thought of Ginny usurping Daphne in a social environment made her giggle. It was so utterly outrageous, that even if she did polish her so-called edges, there was no way she would ever be able to climb up the Wizarding social ladder. Besides, Ginny had other pursuits and little interest in keeping her foot in the door that had fatefully creaked ajar for her.

"Like that would ever happen," Ginny snorted, brushing off their ridiculous theories aside.

They reached the doors, which Max opened like a gentleman for her. She thanked him as she increased her pace to head towards the staircase. Bidding the two men farewell, Ginny trotted up the staircase with urgency. Her garments and forehead were caked with dirt, her hair was much too disheveled for her own liking, and now everything was beginning to ache from all of the activity today. She fully intended to find out what came out of every tub spout as she lounged about in that luxurious tub.

Friday had finally rolled around. After Ginny's horseback riding fiasco, the rest of the week had been rather uneventful. Draco had been thoroughly angry with Ginny for being foolish, and was startled by the strong reaction the situation had elicited from him. He had known deep down that he cared for the red-head, but the silly incident only brought his feelings to the forefront. Once he was comforted by the fact that Ginny was going to be alright as he had stubbornly Flooed the Healer, it dawned on Draco how much his feelings for Ginny had intensified. Simply put, it terrified him. It terrified him to see her lying there, injured and helpless. Draco felt his feelings intensify sharply when she got knocked off the horse. It felt like his heart stopped. The feelings were so forceful, almost primal deep within. He had realized he had some type of feelings for her, but none that were this strong. That was not supposed to happen – bet or not. Most importantly Draco wasn't sure what Ginny thought of him. And what was more, he didn't want to face rejection.

Of course, he wasn't about to easily let Ginny know why he was so concerned for her, so instead he ended up lashing out at Daphne. They had had a screaming row by the pond the other day, which ended with Daphne stomping away angrily. Draco figured it was long overdue and she had this coming to her. While Ginny had never been one for maturity in their petty spats, Daphne always found a way to sink to a new low, and enough was enough.

Perhaps, it wasn't mature on Draco's part either, but at least Daphne had backed off of Ginny for the time being. The remainder of that week's lessons went as planned, and they had completed their exam for that week. Dinner had finished at least an hour ago, as many of the students had dispersed into the common room or ventured outside to enjoy the night. Ginny looked like she was about to fall asleep, so he suggested they make their way to the pair of staircases leading to the bedrooms. While Ginny relayed some story from earlier in the day, Draco kept pushing a thought around in his mind, not really paying attention to what she was saying. A couple of weeks had passed between their kiss, and Draco wanted to know how she felt. He couldn't very well ask that without looking desperate. He had contemplated for the last two days about asking her out on a date… or as much of a date they could have being confined in the Manor.

"…well, anyway, I had to tell Ron he was being a prat when I wrote back to him," Ginny said with a small yawn. "Thanks for walking me back, Draco, you really didn't have to. Good night!" Just as she turned around to head up the staircase towards the women's rooms, Draco grabbed her by her right hand. He didn't miss the heat that was generated upon their touch; it once again reminded him of the night of the kiss. She turned around, looking inquiringly into his slightly nervous slate pools. This was a novel concept for Draco: a nervous Malfoy, and he wasn't sure what to do in this uncharted territory.

"Hey, Ginny?" Draco began, his hand still tangled with hers. "Would you want to possibly hang out over the weekend?"

"We always hang out on the weekend," Ginny replied obviously. This was technically true. They studied, keeping sharp for the final exam or spent time with Lena and Blaise. But he wanted to change things up.

"No…" Draco said, letting out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. "I mean, for dinner. Just us two."

"Oh…" Ginny said dumbly. Ginny's brown eyes grew wide upon realization as his words sunk in. Dinner. Just the two of them. He knew he was being vague, but surely she could gather what was happening, right? Draco could barely make out what was happening from the various emotions flickering across her face. "_Oh." _

"Well?" Draco prompted impatiently. It never took a woman _this_ long to answer him. While he knew charm wouldn't affect Ginny the way it had with others, they had definitely crossed some type of threshold during the night of the Cotillion. She had playfully continued to banter with him, never engaging in anything more. Maybe it was just a way to blow off steam, his rational side had tried to reason. But, she would respond to his mixed signals as well, so it couldn't have all been for naught.

"I can't," Ginny slowly answered. Draco's stomach dropped at her rejection, and quickly tried to make his crestfallen expression disappear as he rearranged it to look expressionless. His eyes slumped in disappointment, the light dimming though he tried to keep his composure.

"Oh, that's fine," Draco muttered, dropping her hand. He turned to head up to his stairs.

"No!" Ginny cried suddenly. "That's not what I meant!"

Draco turned around, intrigued by what she had to say.

"What I meant was, I'm going home tomorrow morning. For Ron and Hermione's engagement party," Ginny explained. Curse her family for their numerous family functions. "How about during the week though? Take a break from studying?"

A flicker of a smile formed on Draco's face, accepting her invitation before heading up to the room he was supposed to share with Blaise.

**A/N:** Miscellaneous horse-riding knowledge and attire was found through Wikipedia, Google, Downton Abbey, YouTube and the one time I rode a horse (lol). Who knew writing fanfiction could be informative? Also, Thuban, a northern pole star in the Draco constellation, means "head of the serpent" and snake in Arabic, also known as Alpha Draconis. Thank you all so much again for your AMAZING reviews last chapter – I literally want to squeal with glee because they make my day.


	12. Home

**DISCLAIMER: **Anything familiar isn't mine, its J.K. Rowling's.

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><p><strong>twelve. home.<strong>

The next morning, Ginny yanked the first few garments she saw off of the wardrobe hangers and her pajamas from the dresser drawers. Her arms filled to the brim with a jumble of clothes, she threw them onto the enormous bed. She gathered together her essentials and stuffed them into an overnight bag. Eventually she felt like she had collected just about everything she absolutely needed. Ginny paused for a moment, tapping a finger on her chin as her narrowed auburn eyes scanned the room to see if there was anything missing.

Her eyes lit up in realization upon realizing one item was missing: her lecture notes. Ginny reached over to the nightstand to grab the notebook in which all of her class notes were compiled. Just as she was about to throw it into her bag, she squinted at one of the objects sitting primly on the nightstand. It was the exquisite roses that Draco had given her the night of the Cotillion. She had placed them in a glass she transfigured into a vase for safe keeping and it was a pleasant image to see when she got out of bed every morning. While they still looked as fresh as ever, as she was sure they had been enchanted, they looked peculiar. Dropping her notebook into the bag that was bloated from the ball of clothing inside, she walked around to the foot of the bed.

"Say, weren't these pink yesterday?" Ginny asked her roommate. Lena was on her own large bed on the other side of the room, lounging on her stomach, while her head was propped up by arm as she lazily scanned the pages of _Witch Weekly_.

Casually looking up through her dark lashes, she sat up onto her knees, casting the magazine aside. "I suppose so," Lena replied nonchalantly.

Ginny eyed the vase behind her once again. The roses, though they looked very much alive, had darkened from their vibrant pink, to a deep red. Walking back to the nightstand, she reached out to feel one of the petals. They were very much alive like she had suspected, feeling the velvet soft texture of the petal between her fingers instead of a dried flower that would threaten to crumble by her touch.

"But, this is odd. It's not like they're wilting or anything," Ginny frowned, unconsciously placing a hand on her hip.

It was then that it seemed as if something had clicked in Lena's mind as her eyes lit up in acknowledgement. She laughed, giving way to a sly grin. "Oh, I know what those are."

"What are they?"

"Honestly, Ginny, didn't you pay attention in Herbology?"

"Why does everybody keep saying that to me?" Ginny scowled crossly. "Suddenly, everyone is some kind of Herbology aficionado!"

Easily ignoring Ginny's nonsensical rant, Lena shifted and stood up from the bed. She walked around and sat upright on the bench in front of her own bed. "They're Everlasting Florals," She explained eagerly. "Under the enchantment, their colors change depending on the person's affections for the recipient. The person being Draco and recipient being you. And you know what red roses mean."

"This is probably some accident," Ginny alleged hurriedly, unwilling to believe what Lena was saying. "I highly doubt Draco knew what he was buying."

Lena shrugged. "Believe what you want to believe." She reached behind her to grab the magazine she had been perusing earlier. Opening it again, Lena paused, eyeing Ginny from head to toe, "And, please don't wear those ratty jeans to your date with Malfoy next week."

Ginny looked down at the jeans she was wearing. They _were _faded and very worn in. And there was most definitely a hole in the left knee in addition to the fraying bottom hems that had been dragged in the dirt. That didn't mean they were necessarily ratty.

Crossing her arms under her chest, Ginny cried, "For the umpteenth time, it's not a date!"

Lena looked up at Ginny, making the redhead feel as if she was a naïve young girl. "Since when do blokes actually ask us out on dates? This isn't some romance novel. You have to read between the lines. "

"There's _nothing_ to read in between! We're just not going to study for once when we usually do. Not that outlandish."

Lena didn't utter in response, though she smirked into her magazine. Ginny threw her hands up in frustration and went back to trying to zip up the bag that was threatening to implode from bursting at the seams.

The flowers simply had to be a mistake. The florist that Draco had purchased them from must have mixed up the orders. Maybe they just happened to be the last bouquet in stock and he simply bought them. Though, in her heart of hearts, Ginny knew that Draco never did anything haphazardly. Anything he did had a purpose and a motive. She just wasn't sure if she was ready to come to terms with his reasons just yet.

* * *

><p>Ginny ran up the stairs of the Burrow, the steps wheezing and creaking under her sudden movements and weight. She swiftly turned into the first landing, brushing back her messy braid. It was strange entering her tiny pink room after being away in a faraway land, though she was in the same country. More than ever, her childhood room looked about the size of a matchbox in comparison to the luxurious space she shared with Lena back at Malfoy Manor. She grabbed the indigo cotton sundress she had picked up earlier that morning in Diagon Alley before coming back to the Burrow. Once Narcissa had pointed out how unflattering her clothes could be, she couldn't very well go back to wearing the same ill-fitting dresses. Ginny chalked it up to a good investment in buying the discounted dress. Waving her wand to snatch the curtains shut around her nook, she stopped in front of the small full length mirror leaning against one of her walls.<p>

Her hair was sticking out in every direction and beginning to frizz from the sweat and hard labor she had just endured, strands of hair sticking to her sweaty forehead and temples. Though Molly Weasley was ecstatic to have her youngest child and only daughter back home, even for the weekend, she had promptly put her to work, making sure that her daughter hadn't gotten soft during her time away at the Malfoy Resort, as Molly called it. Ginny sighed as she rolled her sleeves to assist in cleaning up the house, though she wondered why, as the function was to be taking place outside. She had just put the cake in the oven when her mother had shooed her out to go get ready.

Ginny eyed the clock sitting on her little nightstand. Her eyes widened as she saw she barely had twenty minutes to get ready in time. She quickly peeled off her shirt and jeans and replaced it with the sundress. Several spells later, her hair looked straight and sleek and most importantly, presentable. She applied a few simple cosmetics charms before slipping into her sandals to head back with assisting. Grabbing her earrings off of her desk, Ginny quickly shot back downstairs.

Just as she the left earring clasped shut, she heard voices flooding in from the back door. She recognized the jumble of male voices as her brothers'. Ginny grinned as she turned the knob to throw the back door open. She stepped out to see a bunch of flaming heads dotting the green garden amongst the other guests. The long wooden picnic table had been set with fresh flowers from the garden and delicate, floating candles. The sun had just begun to set, creating a lovely sight with the sky painted in a gradient of blues, purples, pinks, and oranges. After going through the line of greeting her family and friends, she finally got to Ron.

Many of the women were crowding around Hermione, excitedly talking about the couple's impending wedding and plans for the future. Ginny saw Ron standing slightly to the side, holding a pint in his hand and taking in the scene. He looked happy in his dark biege jumper and dark blue jeans. Ron grinned at her and wrapped her into a big hug. Though they were only a year apart, sometimes it felt like he was much older as he easily towered over her.

"So, you finally popped the question, brother?" She smirked, once they had separated.

"Yeah, but it didn't go exactly has planned," Ron chuckled with a twinkle in his blue eyes.

"Oh, no. What happened?" She grimaced, suddenly wondering if she wanted to hear this story.

"Well, I had planned to give it after I had brought home a really nice dinner," Ron started, launching into his story. "But, she was so heated discussing some new clause in a law that was deterring her from getting more Creature Equality Rights laws passed that she didn't even notice that I was behind her with the box, kneeling down. And then when she finally did notice, I guess I startled her and she knocked the box out of my hand. And then the ring fell down the sink."

"No!" Ginny cried, horrified. She clapped a hand over her open mouth. How did Ron get into these messes?

"By then Hermione realized what it was and we tried to fish it out and summon it but it was lodged into the pipe somehow. So then we had to burst open the pipes," Ron explained, motioning with his hands. "It finally flew out, nearly leaving a cut on my head since it flew right into my forehead. By the time I properly proposed to her, we were in the middle of a rising flood."

"I will never know how you get into these situations," Ginny commented after her shocked laughter subsided.

"I guess she didn't care since here we are," Ron replied, happily looking over at his now-fiancé.

Ginny smiled knowingly at the couple. Ron and Hermione always seemed to be at odds about something or another during their school days, but Ginny had always known they had both cared for each other deeply. Especially when she knew Hermione had had feelings for Ron and Ron was obviously blind to it for far too long. Though they were often ridiculous with their misadventures, underneath it all Ginny knew Ron and Hermione loved and completed one another.

"Ginny! I'm so happy you made it!" a voice exclaimed from behind her. Ginny turned to see Hermione beaming at her. Her incredibly bushy brown hair had been tamed for the occasion, falling in loose waves to her shoulders. Her almost-sister-in-law was practically glowing in her light blue dress. She came up to embrace Ginny and when they let go, Ginny swiftly grabbed her hand to eye the specimen that was sitting on her ring finger.

"It's nothing fancy or anything since we're saving up, but I still love it," Hermione added happily as Ginny examined the ring. It was a simple platinum band with a single, small round diamond set in the center.

"It's lovely," Ginny replied sincerely. And she meant it. It didn't matter how big or small the ring was; all it mattered was that they were together and that they were happy.

They talked some more for a few minutes until Hermione startled her by interrupting. "Oh!" She cried. "I almost forgot. I brought someone I wanted you to meet, Gin."

Ginny tried her hardest to smile but instead it looked like a constipated grimace. Hermione looked over her shoulder and Ginny saw a man standing with Harry and a brunette woman that must have been Harry's date, judging by their body language. She recognized the woman as someone from the Ministry, having seen her at some function in the past. Initially, it did bother her that Harry had moved on first, since she had vainly expected to be the first to move on. But, now for the first time, she barely batted an eyelash at him being with another woman. She seemed pleasant, and if Harry was happy than she was happy, Ginny decided.

However, she focused her gaze on the man with dark blond hair that was chatting with Harry and his date and decided that Neil looked nice enough. Keyword being enough. His blond hair wasn't light and silvery enough. He was tall, but not tall enough. While he seemed to be in relatively good shape, he wasn't lean enough. It was then that she realized she was actually comparing a potential date to Draco Malfoy. She quickly looked away to stop thinking about her former adversary.

"Um, Hermione," Ginny addressed gently. "You aren't trying to set me up, are you?"

"Oh, no!" Hermione assured quickly, her cheeks lightly coloring. "I just thought that since everyone else came with someone, you might enjoy some new company, such as Neil's."

Ginny simply nodded with pursed lips. It was all she could do to prevent from groaning. For some reason, her family and friends had gotten it into their heads that Ginny needed to be set up. Every so often, one of her brothers or a friend would suggest she go out on a date with some bloke or other. These few dates were often disastrous. It was true that pickings were often slim, but she could do this herself without everyone getting into her business. Besides, she had been wrapped up with her studies that it made it difficult to have a serious relationship. That was probably why everyone felt like they needed to lend her a hand, the reasonable side of her thought.

"After George set me up with that store clerk from the store, I don't think I need to, er, make new friends," Ginny said as tactfully as she could. The bloke was a year younger than her but looked like he had barely gotten out of his fifth year. And he acted like it too. Ginny still shuddered at the thought of their disastrous date. She still hadn't decided if George simply was a horrible judge of character or he had tried to play a practical joke.

"Alright," Hermione sighed in defeat. "But I do hope you'll give him a chance."

Just as Ginny's shoulders began to relax, Hermione decided to ask her another question which made her shift uncomfortably. "So, how is the house elf situation over at Malfoy Manor? I do hope they've been implementing the Ministry's new regulations, such as giving their elves holiday leave. "

"I'd love to talk about house elves with you, Hermione, but on second thought, I'm going to go introduce myself to Neil."

* * *

><p>Dinner had gone as well as it could have. Everyone jovially dug into Molly Weasley's incredible meal of a hearty roast paired with far too many side dishes in true Molly fashion. As much as Ginny enjoyed and devoured all of the decadent food at Malfoy Manor, there was just nothing like her mother's cooking. Being surrounded by her loved ones was so pleasant and comforting after her hectic – and painful – week.<p>

She did, in fact, go and introduce herself to Neil. Over dinner, he attempted to make small talk with her. She learned that he also worked in the same office as Hermione, at the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Try as she did to be polite, her eyes kept glazing over when he babbled on about various miniscule laws and clauses they were currently working on passing and how much progress their department had made. It was worse than hearing Hermione talk about it in her textbook didactic tone, if that was possible.

She was happy now to be nursing her boredom with another glass of champagne and a generous slab of chocolate cake while Neil was caught up in a conversation with Percy. They both looked incredibly riveted while they spouted off minute details about broomsticks, she noticed with a smirk. As she dug into the dessert, Ron asked, "So, how's it being forced to work with the Ferret?"

She thoughtfully chewed on the thankfully large bite in her mouth, contemplating on how to answer this question. Everyone else who was standing around with them – namely Harry, Hermione, Luna, Neville, and George – looked back and forth at the two of them warily. No one had dared broach the topic fearing Ginny would go on one of her endless rants, and here was Ron bluntly laying out the question that had been on the tip of everyone's tongue when they asked her how her time was at the Conservatory. Swallowing, she said, "Well, first off, it's Draco, and it's going just fine, thank you very much."

"You're on first name basis with that snake?" Ron cried incredulously.

"Look, he's really not that bad when you get to know him," Ginny defended fervently. "He may be a bit pompous, occasionally self-centered, and utterly sarcastic, but he has his moments." _More than a few moments_, Ginny thought to herself. She realized that her testimonial weren't exactly helping her cause.

"You really got stuck with a winner there, Gin," George chimed in with a snigger. Looking up at her older brother, Ginny quickly stunned him into silence with a withering glare.

"Well, you better be careful with that smarmy git," Ron muttered darkly.

"_Draco's_ been nothing but a gentleman," she protested, enjoying how using Draco's given name made Ron squirm. She was tempted to blurt out that Draco had snogged her once, but felt it wase to leave that out. After all, it was Ron and Hermione's night.

"Besides, what does he even do in his spare time? Count Daddy's gold coins while he imagines the ways he can spend them?" Ron challenged. "Or does he swim laps in his Gringotts vault?" Everyone but Ginny laughed at his joke.

"He has a job!"

"Since when?"

"Since always," Ginny retorted. "Maybe if you cracked open a newspaper once in a while," she muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" Ron asked, his eyes narrowing at her.

"I said he manages his family's estates and holdings."

"Like that's hard."

"I'd like to see _you_ try, Ron," Ginny snapped.

The rest of them continued to throw out barbs about Draco and his snobbish ways. Each word made her itch for her wand more and more to hex all of them. While Hermione did try to defend Draco, she didn't try very hard, much to Ginny's irritation. She knew everyone was just having a bit of fun but it was at Draco's expense but it was irritating her to no end.

Abruptly excusing herself from the impromptu Draco Malfoy roast, she took her dessert to the steps of the back door. Night had long fallen and she looked up into the sky to see a shining blanket of stars. She welcomed the cool air after feeling uncomfortable around her family and friends. Ginny took to scanning the heavens and quickly found Ursa Major. From there, her eyes fell on Draco, the constellation that Draco was named for. In the gray-blue atmosphere, she was reminded of Draco's smoldering mercurial eyes, wondering what the owner of those unique eyes was doing at that moment. She was also getting annoyed that her mind kept going back to him.

"Mind if I have a seat?" a dreamy voice interrupted her thoughts.

She looked up to see Luna Lovegood smiling down at her with her own flute in hand. Her usually unkempt blonde hair was brushed thoroughly and gleamed under the moonlight as it fell to her waist. Though she had retired the lion hat that she had created in support of Gryffindor back at Hogwarts, she was wearing maroon dress robes covered with a pattern of printed lions. From her ears hung what looked like tassel earrings, but upon examining closer were broomstick bristles. By Luna's standards, this was a rather tame outfit.

"So, they sent you to check up on me?" Ginny said with a smile, though she scooted over to make room for her friend.

"They're still arguing over who should come over," Luna indicated, her head nodding in the direction of her brothers and friends. "I slipped away just as they started."

They sat in peace for several moments, enjoying each other's company in the pleasant, comfortable silence.

"Ginny," Luna broke in, turning to look at her. "You seem different lately."

"Do I? I haven't noticed." Her eyebrows raised as she turned to see Luna looking at her with a small smile and her clear blue eyes gazed at her knowingly. Sometimes it felt like Luna's piercing stare was staring straight into her soul, Ginny believed uneasily.

"You seem more relaxed," Luna commented, turning to look back at the party.

"Oh, thanks."

"It's probably the Snarfblatts," Luna said seriously, which elicited a snort from Ginny.

"I'm actually quite serious, Ginny. It's likely that you were stung by a Snarfblatt, though they are rare," Luna explained. Ginny knew Luna was often on expeditions as a bourgeoning naturalist, but she still sometimes doubted the creatures the former Ravenclaw spoke of. "Did you know they're native to the Wiltshire countryside?"

"I had no idea," Ginny admitted. She took another sip of her drink as she wondered where in the world Luna was going with this impromptu Care of Magical Creatures lesson.

"There's a forty percent chance it secreted serotonin and pheromones inside of you, and thus you're feeling those pleasant side effects," said Luna, sounding more informational than ever, though it was an odd combination with her faraway tone.

"Sure..."

"Or, you know," Luna added, dropping her instructive speech. "There is the off chance that you happen to fancy Draco Malfoy."

"W-what?!" Ginny stammered. The hand that was holding the flute began to tremble. Luckily most of the liquid had been consumed and wasn't sloshing out of the glass.

"Well, I mean, he's one of the only other people you refer to in your letters, and I assume you still like men. So that could be another possible explanation," Luna said nonchalantly. "But, my bets are on the Snarfblatts."

As if the conversation had never happened, Luna abruptly stood up. With a wistful smile, she quietly floated away back to the party. Russet eyes narrowed at the young blonde woman rejoining the crowd. There was no way Luna could be right… Right? Ginny brought the flute to her lips and quickly drained it of its contents. Looking up again into the night, she saw the dragon constellation twinkling back at her. Ginny Weasley sighed resignedly.

* * *

><p>Just as she had when she first came to Malfoy Manor, Ginny found herself riding once again in a horse drawn carriage up to the estate. She had originally planned to be back early afternoon, but decided to lounge around a bit after breakfast with her brothers. It wasn't often that Charlie was also in town, and the siblings took advantage of the rare weekend with everyone present. Another part was because it was much more difficult to leave the nice getaway that her childhood home had suddenly become. But the largest part was because she wasn't sure she was ready to face what was to come later that week.<p>

Ron had apologized for making her upset that night, partially at his mother's and Hermione's behest. Though he did seem like he was walking on eggshells around her for the rest of the weekend. Ginny felt a bit bad about that now that she thought about it. She wasn't really mad at Ron so much as she was shocked at her own feelings when she found herself staunchly defending Draco Malfoy. Ron would eventually come around once he understood her feelings for Draco. Eventually. Like he always did.

But what _were_ those feelings?

The conversation with Luna kept replaying in her mind for the latter part of the weekend. Had she told anyone else what they had talked about (which she wouldn't dare at this point – because everyone would think both she and Luna were insane), they would have simply told Ginny to brush it off. It was just another one of Luna's imaginary creatures. However, she knew Luna well enough at this point to know when her comments were real. And Luna was quite serious with her statements.

It was just so _odd._ She resolutely abhorred him upon setting foot into the house the very first day. Though Ginny had reluctantly admitted that Draco was rather handsome, that didn't mean his personality was. Until they were forced to actually talk to each other outside of throwing petty barbs at one another. And it was then that hatred went from tolerance to friendship and perhaps now something more.

Draco and Ginny had fallen into an easy rhythm once they got over their rivalry. She smiled as she looked outside the carriage window. Though it was a cloudy day, her smile wasn't about the landscape passing by her. She thought back to breakfast every morning. They would always argue over the Quidditch section of the paper first thing; usually she won that battle. Or how she knew how much sugar Draco liked in his tea: one and two-thirds of a spoon because a full other spoonful would be too much but one and a half was simply too little.

And of course, there were those moments where they just strangely felt right. Those moments when his slate eyes would light up, as if the shadows had cleared from his orbs. When his smirk would slowly turn into a hesitant smile, truly illuminating each of his features. The feeling of his resilient arm around her waist. His strong hand in hers – how they just simply fit, as if it was meant to be. That brought her back to thinking of his lips on hers. Ginny shivered.

Maybe she did like him, after all. The images of the roses flashed in her head. And maybe he liked her back too? That fluttering sensation returned to her stomach from the night of the Cotillion. Forget about fairies flitting around in her stomach, there were full-sized hippogriffs galloping around at this point. Ginny suddenly felt anxious and excitedly nervous for their supposed date later that week. It was an exhilarating adrenaline rush.

But what did all of what was unfolding really mean? Did it mean she was now seeing Draco Malfoy? What would her family say? What would _his_ family say? What would the public at large say? Ginny took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, willing all of her anxieties to leave her body with the large breath. There was nothing to get concerned over at this point. There was nothing to tell anyone, for that matter. She would just have to wait and see what would happen at their date.

"Great, now even _I'm_ calling it a date," Ginny muttered, though a small smile was dancing on her face. Mostly because she began to realize that _she_ was the last one to comprehend what was happening. Lena kept hitting her over the head with it. Which meant Blaise most likely knew too. Hell, Luna could tell just from several letters. Where had she been all of this time?

The carriage passed through the gate as the Manor began to grow larger and larger as the carriage drew closer. The lush, green Wiltshire countryside was a welcoming vision rather than the daunting arena it had once been to her. A flutter of wind wound its way through the lawns of the estate. Though the clouds were clashing against each other, murky and grey, much like a certain someone's eyes, it felt like sunshine inside the carriage.

Ginny's small smile broke out into a full blown grin. Another thought occurred to her: she would have to invite Draco as her escort and guest to her formal "coming out" ball for her birthday. Though the antiquated idea of coming out to society still made her cringe, it would be much more fun with a tall, snarky, blond man at her side.

**A/N:** Yes, there was a Ducktales reference in the Ginny/Ron argument. And "Snarfblatt" is a reference from The Little Mermaid. I was so proud thinking I had made that word up on my own. Le sigh. Apologies for the long wait between updates. I was trying very hard to get 2 chapters done before I went out of town again but I also didn't want to rush it, which is why this chapter is a little short. I was having trouble putting it together, so I hope it turned out okay. But, I did write a silly Valentine's Day one shot "My Unlucky Valentine" that you can check out in the meantime! Thank you all so much for your reviews – I can't believe I even got 50! And for the follows as well! They honestly make my day and I do go back more than once to read them. :) Hope to have some more to read!


	13. Date

**DISCLAIMER: **You know the drill, anything that looks like J.K. Rowling's or anyone else's, it belongs to them.

**thirteen. date.**

They had agreed to have their rendezvous during midweek. After dinner, Draco disappeared to prepare for the evening. Once he had combed through his enormous wardrobe several times and instructed the house elves to bring the necessary equipment, Draco quickly Apparated to the kitchens.

The house elves were bustling around the kitchen, cleaning up the remains of dinner and making preparations for tomorrow's breakfast. He approached the closest house elf, one that unfortunately had a very surly expression on his face. _What was his name again? Talky? Booky? _He may not agree with the new Ministry's stance on liberating house elves, but it didn't mean that he treated his servants like dirt. His mother had taught him to be polite.

As Draco continued to ponder over the elf's silly name, an exhausted, wheezing voice reached his ears. "How can Tooky be helping you, sir?"

"Ah, yes," Draco cleared his throat expectantly, as if he had been waiting for the house elf to come to him all along. He fished out a piece of parchment from the pocket of his trousers. "I want to place a large order and it needs to be ready within the hour. Bring it up to the—"

"Is it someone's time of the month, Malfoy?" a voice chortled behind him.

Shoving the parchment in the house elf's hand, Draco turned to see Maxwell walking towards him, heading for the island in the center. The island counter was often decorated with late snacks for continuously hungry students.

"Haha, very funny," Draco rolled his eyes. "I'm just sorting things out for tonight."

"Oh?" Max said as he plucked a biscuit freshly out of the oven from the top of a platter. "You mean your date with Weasley?"

"Yes," Draco said shortly as he moved to stand next to his friend. For the first time in far too long, his nerves were trying to get the best of him. Having Max hovering around uselessly was distracting Draco from remaining calm. He didn't have time for that.

"You're acting like this is your first date with the woman," Max commented, only to be met with silence as a beat passed. "Wait, seriously?"

"Yes, is that so hard to believe?" Draco snapped, absent-mindedly smoothing out nonexistent wrinkles out of his charcoal trousers.

"Considering the night you met Bridget you two were snogging heavily in the Parkinsons' broom cupboard, I'd say yes, it is hard to believe."

Draco lightly scowled in irritation. Max had a point, he supposed. Moreover, he was irritated that his friend had decided to bring up his ex-girlfriend. Most of all, he was surprised that he had barely thought of Bridget Latimer in the past several weeks. Any anger and resentment he had toward her had faded away. It seemed Ginny Weasley had filled his thoughts and melted any of his past resentments. Perhaps he should be thanking Bridget for breaking up with him. Had they still been together, Draco would never have bothered to get to know Ginny.

"I wouldn't blame you though," Max's voice broke into his thoughts. "Ginny is pretty fit, though she's no Bridget."

"Bridget isn't even Bridget," Draco muttered, grabbing a tart off of one of the platters floating past him. Though his former flame was an incredibly attractive woman, she had most definitely enhanced certain parts of her appearance, making her even more striking to others. It was an open secret within their circles; many altered or enhanced their physical features, though no one dared comment about it aloud. Or at least not in front of the augmented individual.

"Besides I'm trying to do things the right way."

"Don't tell me you haven't fooled around with her. Weasley looked bloody amazing at Cotillion, it'd be a damn shame if you hadn't."

Draco didn't miss the look on Max's face, as if he was picturing her in his mind. The grip Draco had on the counter tightened, his knuckles whitening. It incensed him to think that his annoying friend was thinking of her in _that_ way. Ginny was much more than a pretty face; she was smart, witty, and kind. He willed himself to calm down, taking deep breaths in and out instead of continuing the intense internal battle between deciding to hex him or punch him the old fashioned way.

"You do realize, I'm not you, Fawley," Draco taunted, once he felt his blood pressure return to normal. "Don't give me that blank face. I know you've already gone through Gwen and Tracey and are now trying to get into Hannah Abbott's pants."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Maxwell replied sharply, dodging Draco's glare. His eyes darted around frantically searching for his now missing glass of milk to wash down his after dinner treat.

"Theo told me about that sordid chart you've got in your room. How you're trying to make it through as many of the women as you can," Draco stared at him haughtily. According to Theo, who never participated much in gossip growing up – unless it was important of course – Maxwell had an elaborate chart ranking and critiquing the women of the Conservatory in a variety of criteria. He eyed the clock and saw it was reaching closer to nine o'clock.

Pushing off from the counter, he inched closer to Maxwell, until they were only inches apart. "I may be no angel, but at least I'm not a cad like you." His words were laced with disdain as Draco gave him a look of utter contempt, as if he was the muck stuck to the bottom of his shoe.

Maxwell returned his steely gaze with his own eyes narrowed, but said nothing. Feeling the need to have the final word, Draco promptly exited the room without giving so much as a farewell to his possibly former friend.

* * *

><p>Draco Apparated onto the balcony attached to Ginny's room and sank into the irresistible plushy sofa the house elves had brought along with the rest of the furniture and equipment he had requested. It may have seemed like he had gone overboard with the set up, but it wasn't like they were able to leave the Estate to another location nor did he want to have this date downstairs in front of everyone. Not because he was afraid what the other thought of them. But because he wanted Ginny to himself.<p>

Draco had planned the layout of the night earlier than he would admit. Though he tried to play as if he was nonchalant and cool about most things, he was a strategist at heart. And so, along with the sofa came a long coffee table to accommodate the many desserts he had the house elves make specifically for this occasion. He had ordered brownies, pies, tarts, biscuits, puddings, and ice creams for the evening along with butterbeer. Draco wasn't sure which she wanted, and figured it would be prudent to be prepared in any event. Just in case. Lavender scented candles floated above the tables to provide warmth and cast a glowing ambiance from their lavender colored flames. A wireless had been brought up from his study for a subtle soundtrack.

With another cursory glance, Draco wondered if he had gone too far with the arrangements. He didn't want Ginny thinking he was some type of Lothario. But in his odd way, this was Draco's way of showing that he cared for someone – with material objects and grand displays. He anxiously ran a hand through his hair, though scowled when he realized he had messed up his hairdo that had taken him much longer than he anticipated. Conjuring up a mirror, he re-adjusted his hair before vanishing back to its proper place. If Draco wasn't Draco, he would be laughing at himself. He was acting like this was his very first date in his entire life.

Indeed, he had spent much longer than anticipated trying to decide what to wear. He had gone through his entire wardrobe, which was quite expansive, and had even debated on Flooing Madam Malkin's boutique for new clothes. Just as he was about to throw the blue powder into the fireplace, his eyes fell upon the very jumper he was now wearing. Once he had buckled his belt and watch around his wrist, he spent a little too long on his precious platinum locks. Though he looked pristine in the mirror for this slightly more than casual meeting, an almost forgotten wave of nerves permeated throughout this body. What if they didn't have anything to talk about, without the pretense of class? But that wasn't true anymore, either. Draco had told her things he had never dared tell anyone, outside of his few close friends. True, Ginny had initially offered up a lot of her thoughts and questions, but for some reason he felt compelled to match her sincerity in her revelations. It suddenly occurred to Draco that he trusted her.

So why was he worrying over the simplest of dates like he was suddenly a fifth year? It was just a girl after all.

But Ginny Weasley wasn't just any other girl. Or rather, woman.

He glanced at the silver watch on his wrist. The minute hand was between the five and ten. She was about seven minutes late and Draco was beginning to wonder impatiently if she was ever going to show up.

Just as he was beginning to contemplate that perhaps Ginny didn't want to go out on a date after all, he heard a door close from within the bedroom and two female voices speaking. He recognized Ginny's voice as the slightly higher one, one that sounded a little panicked. Moments later, silence came over the room as the two had quieted down. The one half of the French doors joining the balcony and bedroom opened, and Ginny appeared. She looked slightly embarrassed as she stood apprehensively near the couch, clutching an ebony wooden rectangular box in her hand.

"Sorry! Madam Malfoy decided on an impromptu fitting for the Ball and I didn't get time to change," she explained briskly, her face flushing. "On top of that, she didn't seem too pleased that my measurements don't match up exactly as they have from Cotillion. I think Mum's cake did me in."

Indeed, Ginny was in a plain, deep purple t- shirt with slightly worn denim shorts. On her feet were simple flat black sandals and her crimson hair was tied up in a quick ponytail, several strands escaping as they curled behind the nape of her neck. Her face was unhidden from cosmetics, her freckles dusting her face in plain sight. But to Draco, she still looked wonderful. The candles brightened up her creamy skin while setting her red hair ablaze. It didn't matter that she wasn't dressed up for their evening. Hell, she could be wearing a potato sack, and Draco still wouldn't have cared, much to his surprise.

"You sell yourself too short, Ginny," Draco gazed at her with a half-smirk and half-smile. He let his eyes linger for a bit, and as if on cue, she blushed as she took a seat next to him. His half smirk became full blown. How Draco reveled in the ability to make her blush. It delighted him to no end, and it was much too easy. And the evening had barely just started.

* * *

><p>As Ginny sat on the incredibly comfortable sofa with Draco, she desperately wished she had taken Lena's advice to change her clothes. That was actually what they had been discussing before Lena shoved her towards the double doors to the balcony. But she had already been made late by Narcissa, and didn't want to keep him waiting.<p>

She had presumed this would be a casual affair. But, in true Malfoy fashion, Draco had pulled out all of the stops for the night. The exorbitant amount of desserts made her eyes wide, with both amazement and suspicion. She couldn't figure out if these were solely for her or to sooth Draco's own very stubborn sweet tooth. She smirked at that. It seemed that Malfoys never did anything small, whether it was their living quarters or the lengths that Narcissa took to training the students. It was apparently a trait that was passed onto Draco from both of his parents.

Ginny felt even shabbier next to Draco, who looked as handsome ever. His fine locks carefully styled, as his grey eyes glittered back at her. She couldn't help but notice how the steel blue jumper that looked lovely against his light pallor brought out the subtle blue streaks in his eyes. How had she not noticed that those were there before? Or had she simply been blind to it all along, as she had with everything else?

What surprised her most of all was how Draco had just looked at her. With longing. With want. _For her._ When was the last time someone had looked at her like that? And wearing the plainest clothes to boot? Had she known that he was going to look impeccable, which she should have realized by now as she mentally kicked herself again, she would have worn a skirt with a much more flattering blouse. But it seemed it didn't even matter to Draco in the end with the way he was still gazing at her.

"No apples?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, eyeing all of the treats in front of them. Draco would always eat those unnaturally glossy, green apples during their study sessions. He seemed to have an unusual penchant for them.

"An apple a day, keeps the healer away," he replied simply.

"Don't worry, I don't think the healer will be going away anytime soon," Ginny smiled as she happily accepted the mug of butterbeer.

"I feel like we've barely had a chance to talk since you've gotten back," Draco began, after they both took a generous sip of their drinks.

"Oh, I know! I guess we really are nearing the end of the program now that Ball preparations are going underway," she answered after taking a sip of the almost sickly sweet beverage. This was true. They only had a couple of weeks to go until the Ball. As such, the guest list was being finalized, all of the students were getting badgered with endless garment fittings, and they had seen all types of vendors walk in and out of the house with different arrangements and decorations for Narcissa to approve.

"What's in the box?" Draco asked, gesturing with his head towards the box she had cast aside on the table.

"Oh, that…" Ginny trailed off. She eyed the neat box which contained a slightly worn Wizard's Chess set. She had gotten it as a birthday gift from the Twins, shortly after their business really started taking off. Though the set wasn't worth thousands of Galleons or brand new anymore, it was one of the things she treasured. It seemed like a good idea at the time to bring it out, figuring it would be a fun activity to pass the time. But once she had walked out to elaborate set up and seeing how handsome he looked, it seemed utterly immature. Suddenly, it seemed like the lamest thing ever. Who brought chess out to a first date? Ginny Weasley, that's who.

Draco looked up at her, partially puzzled but more so with amusement. "Is conversing with me suddenly boring you, Ginevra? Because I can think of a myriad of activities other than chess to pass the time." She didn't miss the waggle of his eyebrows when he uttered "activities".

"No!" Ginny cried, feeling her cheeks grow warm. How did he always find a way to make her blush? It suddenly made her feel like an eleven year old school girl.

"I just figured it'd be fun to play a game," she pouted, hoping her pleading, large eyes would make him see her point of view.

After a few moments of meeting her gaze unwaveringly, he broke. "Fine."

She grinned as she brought the box out and they both began to unpack the pieces. She handed him the white pieces, giving him the first turn in the game. Ginny had played more than enough games with Ron, and had eventually picked up a thing or two after losing to him too many times to count. Besides, her chess pieces knew her well now, and that would work to her advantage against Draco.

"How was the weekend over at home?" Draco asked courteously, bringing out a cursory pawn. Ginny hid a smile. She knew he was asking out of politeness and would rather listen to one of Professor Binns' History of Magic lectures than hear her recollect her weekend with Ron, forever his least favorite Weasley.

"It was rather pleasant, actually. All of my brothers were there, including Charlie, who I don't get to see very often. It was a nice gathering of family and friends. My mum cooked a fantastic dinner so we were completely stuffed afterwards," Ginny explained as she grabbed a brownie that Draco had already stuffed into his mouth. She moved her knight. He merely nodded in acknowledgement rather than try to make a nice comment. She knew his politeness wouldn't extend straight away to her whole complicated family. Not just yet, anyway.

"And Harry was there too."

She saw Draco tense as the words came out of her mouth. He slowly chewed on the bite he had just taken, as if digesting the information that had just been given to him.

"But he's been dating some girl for about a month now. She's rather nice, really," Ginny quickly added. At that Draco visibly relaxed once again, swallowing the bite and taking a generous swig of the butterbeer.

"Although," she began with a laugh. "Hermione tried to set me up on a date. His name is Neil. He was rather nice… I guess."

"Oh, was he?" Draco said nonchalantly, though she could hear the iciness laced within his tone. If she thought Draco looked tense about Harry, he looked much more likely to implode, his jaw clenching so hard. She had merely said this just to see his response. If Harry, whom she had broken up with so long ago bothered him, how would a brand new adversary make him feel? In a perverse way, it actually brought her satisfaction that he was slightly possessive over her.

Even the bishop Draco was clutching between his fingers noticed his anger. He looked down to see the chess piece crossly snipping at him, shaking the crosier in his hand furiously. Draco sheepishly placed the bishop roughly onto its intended square.

"Yes, but he kept droning on about all of these meticulous laws and regulations. He wasn't very interesting, unfortunately, not like…" Ginny trailed off suddenly. She was about to say "you". But she wasn't sure if she was ready to lay all of the cards on the table.

"Like?" Draco pressed gently.

"You," Ginny exhaled after taking a deep breath. There. She had laid it all out there. There was no going back. If they were going to take their… relationship to another level, then she was going to go all in.

"Good," Draco added smugly. He seemed much more relaxed after that admission.

The next couple of turns happened in concentrated silence. Every so often, she would look up to see his knitted brows staring intently at each of the pieces, planning his next move. She smiled to herself as he looked so unguarded, displaying his emotions in plain sight.

"How was your weekend?"

"Nothing that would interest you," Draco replied in a bored manner, though he was concentrated at the board in front of him.

"Try me," Ginny challenged.

"While you were enjoying delicious chocolate cake, I was stuck on a Floo conference call about getting our chalet in the Swiss Alps appraised," he explained hesitatingly. It almost seemed like he expected for her to be bored by shop talk.

Instead, she breathed, "Wow, the Swiss Alps? That sounds brilliant. It must be an amazing property if your board wants to get it appraised."

He gave her another hesitant smile, almost as if he was unsure if this was the proper occasion to bring it out. "Maybe I could take you there one day."

Ginny breathed in sharply. "Maybe."

She detached her amber eyes from his charcoal ones to glance down at the game before them.

"Draco, you know how next week is a continuation of Recreation?" Ginny said as a thought occurred to her. "Well, one of the activities I ended up signing up for was fencing. Would you happen to know anything about that?"

After moving his own knight to knock out one of her rooks, he looked up. "Of course."

"Good," she smiled smugly at him. "I also happened to see that Daphne signed up for it. I want to finally beat the wench at her own game."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Are you still on about that? I had a talk with her and she shouldn't be bothering you."

"But I won't be able to live it down if I lose to her again," Ginny pleaded earnestly. Her Weasley pride was on the line. A Malfoy should know more than anyone else how it felt when a person's pride was on the line. And when had he had a talk with Daphne?

He gave her a long, withering look, almost as if he was going to regret what he was going to say. "Alright," Draco said at last. "You know a bit about dueling, yeah? Well, it's quite similar to it."

"Fantastic!" Ginny cried, both because he had given in again, and because she had just destroyed his king in about ten moves.

"Stupid game," Draco muttered quietly as she was going about congratulating and thanking each of her trusted chess pieces.

"I didn't know Malfoys were sore losers too," Ginny teased as she carefully returned the chessboard and pieces into its box.

"We are not," Draco replied haughtily. "Now do you want my fencing advice or not? I know a few moves that could probably knock Daphne on her arse."

That last statement caused Ginny's celebratory grin shift to an evil, conniving smirk. She decided that sometimes potentially evil, mischievous Draco could have its benefits. Especially now that they were on the same side.

* * *

><p>Awhile later, they both collapsed back onto the sofa, tired from the impromptu crash course in fencing. Though, Ginny wasn't sure she had learned much while Draco had attempted to show her a few basic maneuvers. He was standing behind her much like the table manners lesson, only this time Draco was moving her body into proper position, much like he was molding a piece of clay. Somehow, it had dissolved into a tickling session, leaving Ginny tired, elated, and out of breath. Though, she had learned one thing: Draco Malfoy was quite ticklish himself.<p>

"You know," Ginny started after gulping down half of a butterbeer following her unexpected workout. "I heard McGonagall telling Hermione that the Defense Against the Dark Arts position is vacant."

Draco merely grunted in response as he grabbed a lemon tart.

"You should about applying for the new professorship," she added, hoping he would understand why she had brought it up in the first place.

"At Hogwarts?" He asked blankly, once he swallowed his bite.

"No, on Mars," Ginny rolled her eyes. "Of course at Hogwarts!"

"Because that position has been the stepping stone for many a lustrous career," Draco snorted, touching upon the fact that the position had been seemingly cursed during their school days.

"It's not cursed anymore!" Ginny replied defensively. "I heard the teacher left for a Ministry career, so it's open."

"I doubt they'll let me teach since I just got considered for a governor position… that is if they even accept me," Draco added. She knew that governor position was important to Draco; it was just one of the many things that his family had been stripped of after the war. He worked hard to rebuild the ancient castle in the aftermath through his time and donations, in hopes of restoring one of the positions his family had held. Even so, Ginny didn't miss the small glimmer of hope cast over his eyes, so she decided to continue with her new quest.

"Besides, the job will be easy. Most of them won't even be paying attention," Ginny said with a playful grin. It was true; if Draco had been her teacher when she was at Hogwarts, looking as he did now, she knew she would have surely failed. On second thought, that might have been more enticing since she would surely have needed extra help from said handsome teacher.

"Why, because I'll be so boring?" He replied in a defeated manner, interrupting her formerly unknown teacher fantasy. She shook her head from her daydream to find Draco leaning on the balcony, gazing out onto the sprawling estate.

"No, because at least half of them will be distracted by your face," Ginny replied, giving him the same intense gaze Draco had given her earlier.

"Excuse me?" Draco said unevenly, the slightest bit of color coming to his face when he turned to look at her.

"Well, have you seen the rest of the professors? They are all great teachers, but the pickings are slim," Ginny said, getting up from her seat and coming to stand next to him, matching his position. Draco laughed at the thought of any individual being attracted to their incredibly old professors.

A small smile danced upon Draco's face when he turned to look at her, as if inspired by this new idea. Though she wasn't quite sure if it was a result of her persuasion or her flirtation. Perhaps it was from a bit of both.

"So, why do you do what you do?" Draco asked, abruptly changing the subject.

"Healing?" He nodded. "Well, I sort of just fell into it. In the aftermath of the War, I helped with a lot of the wounds and minor injuries and it kind of just spiraled from there."

She closed her eyes for a moment as she recalled the many things she had seen out on the field and during her training sessions. Ginny opened her eyes, seeing his expression both soft and curious. "But I remember during my first year of training, we shadowed a lot of Healers. And there was this one instance of a young child gaining their sense of hearing for the first time. It's difficult to heal those conditions right away as a newborn because of their rapid development. But, just witnessing the pure happiness in that child's face when he heard his mother's voice. I'll never forget that."

Ginny found Draco now directly facing her, gazing down at her. The beat of her heart quickened as she stared into his currently stormy grey eyes. Before she realized what was happening his arms looped around her waist. There was a slight wind breezing past them, gently fluttering through his silky blond hair. Her heart caught in her throat as the moonlight illuminated every angle, line, and crevice of his beautiful, angular face. Which was he was now lowering towards her own. Her eyes quickly fluttered shut…

* * *

><p>"OH MY GODS! I'm so sorry!"<p>

Ginny quickly jumped back from Draco's embrace. He willed himself not to growl in frustration and ran a shaky hand through his hair. Draco turned to see Lena Shafiq, moment killer. Though he couldn't truly be angry with her, as her eyes darted back and forth between the both of them apologetically.

"What… What is it, Lena?" Ginny asked, her voice hoarse.

"I just came to let you know that Madam Malfoy wants us all to send her the names of whoever is walking us into the Ball by breakfast tomorrow…" Lena squeaked, her face matching signature Weasley red from interrupting an intimate moment. "I just figured… You two would be out here for a while… so just to do it before you go to bed. And I'm going to head back inside and never come back. Good night!"

Ginny had barely opened her mouth to thank her as Lena quickly whirled on her heel and all but ran back inside, the balcony doors slamming behind her. The curtains magically shut, giving them complete privacy once again.

She turned back to face Draco, who probably looked more than a little exasperated and unsatisfied. Her warm brown eyes were glowing with mirth, and he could see she was trying to bite back her laughter. Then her small hands came towards his, her body closing the gap between them, their fingers easily interlocking. One hand let go of his, snaking around his neck. Ginny gently brought his head down towards hers, and then her soft pink lips brushed his. She paused for a moment before repeating, now engulfing his lips with her own. It was filled with warmth and tenderness, much like the redhead was.

She broke it off first, reluctantly lowering her feet from her tiptoed position. Catching her breath, she looked into his eyes with her darkened ones, though he imagined his probably were too. Smiling shyly she asked, "Feel better now?"

All Draco could do was nod.

* * *

><p>A week later, Ginny found herself sitting at the desk in her room. She had been busy finalizing the invite list for the ball that she was to throw for her twenty first birthday. The list had gotten longer and longer by the doing of her mother, though she had wanted to keep it as small as possible. Hell, if Ginny had it her way, it could have just been a simple barbecue in the backyard. But alas, Molly Weasley felt the need to go all out for her one and only daughter. Somehow that included having decadent hors d'oeuvres, elegant decorations, and having the essential guest list. She had lost track of how many owls her mother would send her, sometimes multiple times per day. It made her uncomfortable at the thought of her parents spending money on something so frivolous but Molly kept reasoning it was a double celebration – her birthday and to celebrate having a Healer in the family.<p>

She absent-mindedly twirled the quill in her hand like a baton as she reflected on the past week. After their date, Ginny felt like she waited agonizingly for the remaining weekdays to pass, even if she was studying with Draco. Their date had ended with several drugging kisses, until she finally plucked up the courage to drag herself from Draco's comforting and firm form. By the time Saturday rolled around, Ginny woke up eagerly and early, which was a rarity on its own. She was eager because it meant more free time to spend time with Draco. A small part of her wanted to roll her eyes at how eager she was, but the rest of her couldn't care less.

Though they did go on a flying "double date" with Blaise and Lena – as much of a date as you could call it since they hadn't even left the premises – the most memorable part of the weekend was probably that Sunday afternoon. They were taking a walk on the estate grounds, which were lush and green as ever, his hand wrapped around hers. Thinking back, she couldn't help but smile at how her hand fit in perfectly with his. He had pointed out some of the plants and trees they had passed by, because apparently Draco really _did _know a thing or two about Herbology. How she itched to tell him that he had something in common with Neville Longbottom just so she could mercilessly tease him, but decided to refrain. They eventually stopped by a quiet, brimming brook, shaded by the tall trees and surrounded with soft, plush grass and bushes.

He had conjured up a blanket for them to sit on. Though as soon as Ginny sat down, neatly tucking her legs underneath her skirt, he dragged her back up. It was time to properly learn how to fence. Though she outwardly groaned, Ginny was excited to get some hands-on training. Draco stood behind her, his head bent down in a concentrated effort to properly place her arms in the right position. His silvery-blond hair fell into his eyes as he explained to her the rules and regulations of the game. Ginny couldn't help but only half-listen; his deep but gentle voice near her ear kept tickling her neck and distracting her. Though his voice was as instructional as ever it sounded almost melodious against her eardrum. Perhaps it was those strawberries talking from lunch, she had thought aimlessly. Hadn't Blaise teased earlier that they were an aphrodisiac? Ginny bent her legs, slightly squatting, putting her right foot forward as he had shown her the other night. And then, when he moved down to place his hands on her hips to correct the position of the bottom half of her body, did she completely give up paying any attention. She turned around in his arms, firmly planting her lips on his own, eventually dragging him down onto the blanket for a snog session, which ended up going far longer than either of them intended.

A grin danced on Ginny's face as she addressed the last invitation. It was nice having someone again. It was the silver lining in all of what was coming her way. She was on track to start at St. Mungo's in the fall, it was only a matter of time that she was going to get access to that Gringotts vault full of Galleons, and now she had an attractive man at her side. Who knew that this was all going to happen when she had first stepped foot into Malfoy Manor? Ginny definitely did not.

Sealing the final envelope, Ginny rose from her seat, carefully gathering the much larger than necessary stack of invitations. Lessons were done for the day but there was still a good chunk of time before dinner would be served. She figured it was the best time to send invitations, mostly before Molly owled her again to add yet some other long lost relative or Ministry official or ally of the former Order of the Phoenix or someone she had met walking down Diagon Alley to the growing roll of parchment.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** First off, apologies for the long update! First, it was because I went to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! IT WAS AMAZING. And I think it's only further cemented my love for the books and this entire fandom. And, second, I've started that dreaded job search, so I've been freaking out about that, heh. I hope this chapter was alright, I've been staring at it for too long. Notable references: "Moment killer" is from Scrubs. Thank you all so much for your follows, reviews, and favoriting! I would love if you could leave a review on your way out – they make my week, and I do reply to all reviews (unless you aren't signed in, of course). Also, if anyone has an amazing D/G fic to recommend – please do so, I'm in need of something good to read!


	14. Bet

**DISCLAIMER: **I don't own anything here, like Harry Potter, etc. or anything else that looks familiar.

**fourteen. bet.**

Ginny didn't get very far in her mission, however. Just as she had crossed the manor and reached the staircase to climb up to the Owlery, she ran into Max. Literally.

Her face came into contact with a firm chest as strong hands clutched her shoulders to steady Ginny. She looked up sheepishly to see Max's pleasant brown eyes staring down at her, then glancing further down to her feet. A pile of invitations lay scattered around her ballet flats.

"You're in a bit of a hurry," commented Max as he reached down to help her gather up the invitations.

"Yeah, I was just trying to get these invitations owled out for my birthday," Ginny explained as she took the remaining invitations from Max's hands. "Thanks."

"I do hope my invitation is somewhere in there," he said as they both stood up, while Ginny shuffled the invitations into a neat stack in her hands. Max turned his head sideways to glance at the stack. Ginny fumbled with the envelopes as she tried to cover the top invitation on the pile with her hand. It bore Draco's name on it.

It wasn't like their blossoming relationship was a secret. Several of the other couples had already picked up on the shift in their relationship. But still, Ginny felt the need to protect her privacy, especially from the niggling feeling she got from an individual that was nosy like Max.

"Of course," Max replied knowingly, the friendly light in his eyes losing some of its sheen.

Ginny cleared her throat awkwardly. _What was _his_ problem?_ She barely even knew Maxwell Fawley, save from the scant group interactions she had during lessons. Her hand clutched the bannister of the staircase, preparing to ascend to the top.

"Well, I really must go before my mum decides to owl me with new additions," said Ginny uneasily.

Max smirked, a strange look coming across his face. Ginny was unable to decipher whether their conversation had taken a turn for the worse or if he was just another moody man. "Right. I'll let you go then. It will probably take you awhile judging from that stack in your hands."

She nodded and gave him a small smile, all the while feeling uncomfortable. Without another word, he walked away, hands shoved in his khaki trouser pockets. Max whistled a familiar tune as he headed down the corridor, the melody slowly fading away as he sauntered off.

_That was odd. _Ginny had no time to ponder the confusing inner workings of the male mind. She had one job to do. Just as she placed her left foot to climb up the stairs, an excited voice called out to her.

"Gin! There you are!"

With a groan, Ginny turned around. It was Lena running over to her. Was it suddenly interrupt Ginny's one-mission-in-life day? She had one job to do and it was proving impossible to complete. Though upon seeing how excited Lena looked with her beaming smile, Ginny quickly plastered a smile of her own as well to greet her friend.

"What's up?"

"My dress for my coming out party just arrived! You have to come and see it!" Lena exclaimed, her ponytail bouncing up and down with her excited motions.

"Can I come check in a little bit?" Ginny asked gently. "I really need to get these invitations sent."

"Oh, come on! I have to get fitted for it, so it won't be here for that long. I want your opinion," Lena said, coming over to grab her free hand. She began to drag Ginny across the corridor, back towards the staircase she had just come up from.

"Besides, if your mother decides to add someone to the list, just pretend the owl got lost. It's not like she'll know," advised Lena.

She had a good point. If anyone could convince her mum of a white lie, it was Ginny Weasley, dungbomb soiled hands and all.

They continued to babble about the upcoming ball, the final event of Charm School. It was a little more than a week away, and more and more preparations were being made. Narcissa had mentioned that they would be doing a dress rehearsal at the Headquarters of the Mulieres Viginti Octo. She had her own final fitting for her ball gown yesterday and they were set to do trial runs for hair and makeup tomorrow afternoon. It was hard to believe an experience that she had reluctantly participated in would now be over. Ginny was sad to see it go.

While they recounted their expectations for the magical night, both girls failed to see the stocky figure lurking behind a tapestry in a connecting corridor. As both of the women made their way down the stairs, a familiar young man came out from underneath the tapestry, the sunlight highlighting his sandy brown hair.

* * *

><p>Half an hour later, Ginny finally marched up the spiraling staircase to the owlery. Huffing and puffing, she leaned against the wall, slightly out of breath from the long ascension into the room. The Malfoy Manor Owlery was reminiscent of the one at Hogwarts, both situated in the highest tower of the building. However there was one striking difference: the Manor's owlery was spotless. The room at Hogwarts was covered nearly from ceiling to floor with animal carcasses, feathers, and owl droppings, hardening on the cubbies hollowed out for the numerous owls that traveled in and out. There had to be a crew of house elves on call solely for this room for it to be continuously spotless. Not a single owl dropping was in sight, which she found both incredible and incredulous.<p>

A quartet of chestnut colored screech owls were huddled in front of the glass free windows. Their yellow eyes blinked up at her lazily, almost as if they were hoping she would pass them by to use other eager owls. Ginny divided up her pile of invitations amongst the owls and gave them each generous treats to send them off on their laborious journey.

She grinned as the owls took off one by one into the warm afternoon. They weaved in and out of each other as the soared through the sky. Perhaps she would take a lap around the pitch later in the evening as well. It had been awhile since she had climbed onto a broomstick and felt the wonderful breeze thread through her hair. Ginny hoped she could convince Draco to come too, and that he would wear his very flattering Quidditch kit.

Brushing off stray scarlet tresses from her shoulder, Ginny turned to head back downstairs towards civilization. She felt very satisfied now that she had gotten her big errand of the day out of the way. Just as she was about to climb down the stairs, a cacophony of voices crept up the narrow stairs of the owlery.

"…really didn't think Weasley was that stupid, but I suppose I gave her too much credit as usual," she heard Daphne's exaggerated tone criticizing her.

Ginny's eyes narrowed at the other woman's implications. _How dare she?!_ She automatically reached for her wand in her dress pocket, but calmly retracted it, deciding which tactic was best. On any other day, Ginny would have charged at the girl and hexed her all the way down the twirling staircase. She reflected on what Draco would do if he was in her shoes: calmly feel the situation out and attack at the perfect moment. Shoving the wand back into her pocket, she quickly scampered across the room, concealing herself into one of the concrete alcoves.

The growing laughter of Daphne's motley crew increased as they climbed up the last step. Ginny resisted the urge to throw up right then and there, soiling the spotless floors. How could these other girls blindly follow someone? It was disgusting. The redhead resisted the urge to groan as she burrowed further into the alcove, making sure that her feet were no longer sticking out.

Daphne reached for a snowy white owl and handed it a small piece of parchment. The owl gingerly took it from her hands, decorated with shiny silver lacquered nails, and flew off into the afternoon. The blonde turned back to the group, dramatically looking around the room to confirm that no one was around. Feeling satisfied with her inspection, she leaned in, her friends crowding closer around her.

"You won't believe what Max told me the other day," Daphne begin, her voice ringing with excitement. Ginny was sure her eyes were gleaming with excitement but she couldn't quite see from the angle she shoved herself into.

Daphne's voice had gone conspiratorially low, though she was whispering quite loudly, enough that Ginny could hear every single word loud and clear. "He told me that Draco's only been nice to Weasley because of a bet!"

The rest of the girls gasped, much to their dismay. A confused voice chimed in, one that was Tracey's. "But, they seem pretty happy together. I've seen them walking around the gardens hand in hand."

"That's all for show," Daphne waved her off, her voice returning back to its normal volume. "Maxwell challenged Draco to turn one girl into the Belle of the Ball, and they agreed on Weasley. I suppose he went the seduction route, which is quite genius of him, really. She's been hanging all over him."

Daphne's cronies giggled maliciously in response.

"I'm sure he's going to dump her as soon as this bet is over," Daphne commented, as if she was watching paint dry. "There's no way in hell he would willingly spend time with her. Though, I admire his dedication in pretending he actually _likes_ her."

The harpies continued to titter rapidly, but Ginny was no longer listening to what was spewing from their mouths. Her mind was reeling. She leaned against the wall for support, feeling like she was going to fall over from the gravity of the situation. There was no way what Daphne said was true. She was just spreading lies just as she always was, keen to besmirch Ginny's good name. Then why could she feel her heart banging against her ribcage? There was no possible way there was truth to the other woman's words.

It didn't stop Ginny's mind from going into warp speed. All of their encounters began to flash in her mind. At first they hated each other, constantly antagonizing each other mercilessly, which continued to bring their examination assessments down. It all began to change when Draco offered her a little assistance. Their barely there tolerance for each other began to grow into something new, a friendship. Ginny began to see that there were many facets of Draco Malfoy. They spent their days helping each other in areas that they were knowledgeable in, just like they were supposed to do.

And then there was the night that changed everything: they kissed. It took some time to getting used to for both parties, but the duo had finally mutually acknowledged their feelings for each other. The redhead looked down at the clothes she was wearing: a classic light blue sundress paired with a black cardigan, clothes that she was unaccustomed to wearing. She had taken to styling her hair more elegantly, waking up early to create easy and effortless looking curls. Hell, she even applied a few more cosmetics charms. It seemed that the beauty and fashion lessons had not been lost on Ginny after all.

She inhaled sharply. What if there was truth in what Daphne was saying? Was Draco molding her into the Bell of the Ball? This place, this look, this world, it wasn't hers. It never was. She never wanted a part of it. She just wanted to take her galleons and run. Somehow Ginny had gotten caught up in this silly world of high society, and caught up in enigmatic grey eyes.

Things began to make sense. Why else would Draco help her? How could she have let her guard down when she was in enemy territory? She had even guarded herself from his slithering ways. Draco had every advantage in the world, and she had simply went along with it. She should have known better than to let her heart make decisions; it rarely was the best judge of character. Flashbacks from her first year came back to Ginny. White hot angry tears were welling up in her eyes, blurring the world around her. Her chest rose and fell rapidly; it felt like the walls of the alcove were closing in on her as the air began to disappear. Ginny needed to escape.

Subtly sticking her head out, she saw the group of women were still huddled talking to each other, their backs turned to the redhead. She could easily slip by unnoticed and promptly lock herself in her room, flinging her pathetic self onto her bed.

Fate, of course, had other plans for the youngest Weasley. Just as she had tiptoed toward the staircase, Ginny was met with the last person she wanted to see. Though the tears pooling in her eyes threatened to give way, she quickly squeezed her eyes open and shut rapidly, willing her ducts to suck the water back in. She was not going to cry at a time like this.

Draco was coming up the stairs, Maxwell trailing behind him. He climbed up onto the landing, flashing her one of his dazzling grins, clear grey eyes smiling down at her. Had this been a few hours ago, Ginny would have smiled back, entranced by his beaming features. Now it made her sick to her stomach, knowing what was behind the falsities of his face.

"Max said you would be up here," Draco greeted. "Finished delivering your invitations?"

"Is it true?!" Ginny exclaimed in paranoia.

The girls behind her finally noticed that they were no longer alone. They turned to see the free show that was being put in front of them, Daphne most eager of all. Her knowing smirk went unnoticed by the duo standing by the staircase.

"Is what true?" Draco asked in bewilderment. "Is everything okay?"

"The bet," Ginny spat. "Is it true?"

If it was possible, Draco blanched, though it was difficult to tell with his already pale complexion. "Why don't we go somewhere else to talk about this?"

"No. We're going to talk about this right here, right now."

* * *

><p>Draco hesitated, hearing the iciness laced in her voice. Steely eyes darted around the room, unwilling to lock on her flaming russet orbs. He saw Daphne and her cronies hanging onto every word that was being said in the small room. Maxwell hung back next to him, looking slightly uncomfortable, though he imagined that he was probably reveling in the fact that Draco was about to lose the bet.<p>

He didn't want it to come out like this. In fact, he hoped that he could go on living the rest of his life happily with Ginny at his side, never having to bring up the silly wager ever again. After all, what she didn't know couldn't hurt her. Ignorance was bliss. But this was literally one of the worst places for it to come out. In front of people he would sooner throw under the Knight Bus than trust. And in a damn Owlery which somehow mysteriously held onto the stale animal stench in its spotless walls.

"What's there to hide, Malfoy?" Ginny prompted, her foot impatiently tapping against the concrete floor.

The blond visibly gulped. For the first time in so long, he felt tongue tied. This was a perfect time for his faculties to lose their bearings. What was that saying he had always staunchly ignored – the truth shall set you free? He supposed it would apply in this situation.

Draco took a deep breath, willing himself to look down into her livid, distrustful eyes. "Yes, there was a bet. Which I accepted. But it was before I got to know you, Ginny. I don't even care about that stupid wager anymore, it was just something created out of boredom."

He reached for her hand, but she quickly snatched it out of sight.

"Oh, so I was merely for your bloody amusement?" Ginny laughing hollowly. "Was this all some sort of fucking joke to you?"

He flinched at the hardened tone of her voice. Draco had never heard Ginny speak like to him like this. Even when they were at each other throats, she never talked as if he was the scum of the earth. The coldness in her voice was piercing. There was no way to tell which tactic was best to employ in a situation like this. Should he cower? No, Malfoys don't cower. Especially not in front of witches that he could easily tower over. But she had that Weasley trait of attacking first, talking later. Should he block his face? But she also had a way with hexes. How he knew that from much experience.

"The Cotillion, the night on the balcony, all of that was for a fucking bet?" Ginny demanded, her voice eerily steady.

"No, it's not like that all. I—"

"Save your lame excuses, Malfoy. Did you think you were going to seduce me to win the bet? Answer me that."

Draco paused, unsure of how to respond. If she wasn't even willing to listen to his reasoning, how could he give her the answers she deserved?

"I SAID, ANSWER ME!" Ginny shouted shrilly, silencing the lightning speed whispering that was occurring behind them. But at that point, there was no one else save for them as the girls and Max had faded faraway into the background.

Draco had gotten her upset before in the past but never murderously angry like this. A part of him wanted to reach out and embrace her, console her, for how upset she was. He wanted to tell her that it was all a big misunderstanding and it truly was a stupid, immature joke. But a larger part of him was getting irritated and mortified. How dare she embarrass him in public like this? Any common witch would have the decency to discuss this in private. It put them at an uneven playing field the way she had come at him out of the blue. But most of all, _his_ feelings were hurt from her distrust in him, after everything he had done to show he was no longer the same person from Hogwarts. It hurt even more now that his own emotions were entwined with hers.

"And... And helping me that night? All for a bet?" Ginny whispered. Her bottom lip began to tremble as her glowering brown eyes glistened.

There was no point anymore in having this discussion, Draco reasoned. She was no longer going to believe another word out of his mouth, so why should he bother? The kneazle was out of the bag. He replaced the look of confusion on his face to a hardened look of indifference. It was probably better for the both of them that this had come out, after all. Draco didn't need to get close to anyone, least of all a woman, at this point in his life. Least of all Ginny Weasley. He had already been burned before, and was not about to leave another lasting scar again.

"So what if it was? What does it matter?" Draco finally replied disinterestedly. "It's almost over anyway. You'll get your money and I'll keep my reputation."

She stepped closer to him, and Draco remained steadfast at keeping his composure. He saw a tear escape, streaking her freckled cheek. A part of him wanted to cup her face with his hands, using the pad of his thumb to brush it off, but the louder part told him that it was futile.

"I-I trusted you," Ginny croaked.

Suddenly, a small hand came up near his face, and before he knew it, she slapped him. The sound of the strike ricocheted off the marble walls as everyone in the room stood in silence. Draco looked at her incredulously, reaching up to clutch his tinted cheek. Perhaps he should have blocked his face after all.

"Fine, if you clearly believe everything you seem to think you know then go," Draco snapped haughtily, unwilling to back down.

"You have some nerve to get defensive after manipulating me, you smarmy bastard," Ginny sneered, roughly brushing past him. "At least I told you the truth upfront."

He felt his own heart shatter at the hurt and duplicity in her voice. Draco willed himself to quash his oversensitive defense mechanism from rearing its ugly head again. In that moment, more than ever, did he realize how intense his feelings were for the angry redhead in front of him. He couldn't let her walk away like this, they needed to talk this out, regardless of how much it went against his normal behavior. Draco couldn't lose her.

"Come on, Ginny, just let me explain," Draco called after her as she took one step down the stairs.

Ginny whipped back suddenly, wagging a finger in his face. "Don't. Call. Me. Ginny. It's Weasley, now. Or better yet. Don't ever talk to me at all, _Malfoy."_

Before he could get in the final word as he was wont to do, Ginny quickly scampered down the spiraling staircase and disappeared. Fear stabbed him through the heart as she began to descend down the steps. Panicking, Draco lunged forward to run after her, quickly running through which words to get himself out of this sticky situation. In his heart of hearts, he wanted a final word of reconciliation.

A hand on his shoulder stopped him. "Don't. Let her have some space."

Draco turned to see Maxwell doing his best impression of looking solemn, though he could sense the glee radiating off of him. He contemplated a moment and eventually agreed. It would be best to let Ginny cool off, she was not ready to hear anything he was going to say, and it would probably make it worse. Once she calmed down, they could have a collected conversation and move past it.

After all, every relationship had its rough patches. Even a strange, convoluted one that of Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley.

* * *

><p>Her hand clasping against the door handle, Ginny threw the door open, quickly slamming it shut. She had no idea if Draco attempted to follow her, though it wasn't even possible. Even then, she wanted to disappear from everyone else. To be alone with all of these new revelations. The tears that had been obscuring her vision on her journey back to her room suddenly began to fall freely.<p>

She flung herself onto the luxurious bed, burying her face into her pillow as she continued to cry. Turning to her side, her eyes landed on the gorgeous deep red roses sitting primly on her nightstand, paired with the strip of pictures from the photo booth from the Cotillion. Abruptly sitting up, she angrily grabbed her wand, shaking the nightstand, and pointed it at the vase.

"_Incendio."_

The flowers burst into brilliant red-orange flames, before becoming completely engulfed by the fire and scattering into blackened ash amongst the several fallen petals. She grabbed the obnoxious photo strip and shoved into the novel sitting next to her nightstand. Ginny couldn't bear to continue to watch the once-happy memory of her and Draco. Over and over, it replayed the moment Draco went in for the kill. For some reason though, she couldn't bring herself to burn the picture despite the fact she utterly despised it.

Wiping her tear-streaked face, Ginny walked over to her wardrobe and threw the first edition of _Wuthering Heights_ as far back into the wardrobe as she could. She slammed its doors shut, turning around so her back flush against the door. She slid down to her feet, in despair.

Ginny had been betrayed. And manipulated. After everything she had gone through in her first year with Tom Riddle, Ginny Weasley had vowed that no one would ever take her for a fool again. A choked sob erupted from her mouth, wracking her body. What hurt her the most was that she had been honest with him. Draco knew very well why she was here and what she was doing. He knew her insecurities and the familial pressures she felt. Draco couldn't have had the decency to tell her upfront what was happening? She may have been more understanding had she known from the very first day.

_Of course not, then you wouldn't have cooperated_, an angry voice reminded her. She was foolish to think that Draco Malfoy could show compassion and be considerate. And, in their moments alone, kind to her.

Suddenly, she couldn't wait for Charm School to be over.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Yikes, Ginny is pissed! And rightfully so. Apologies for any errors, I have checked it a few times but I am sure something has escaped me. Hope you all enjoyed this dramatic chapter and hope you leave a review on the way out! I would really appreciate some feedback as to what you think! Pretty please? *insert adorable cat meme here*


	15. Sun

**DISCLAIMER: **Everything Harry Potter related belongs to J.K. Rowling and related companies. Any specific references will be noted at the bottom of the chapter.

**fifteen. sun. **

Just as she had finally fallen asleep, Ginny heard the early morning birds starting to stir outside. Turning a tear-stained cheek towards the window, the earliest rays of sunlight started to seep through the curtains. She sighed, shifting to lay flat on her back, staring up at the gold embellishments of the decorated ceiling. She might as well get up, though it was barely six o' clock. She had stayed in last night, completely missing dinner, though her appetite was nonexistent by that point. Instead, Ginny stayed locked up in her room, huddled into a ball on her bed, and alternately cried her heart out into Lena's sympathetic lap, who comfortingly stroked her hair, and milling about their large room calling Draco every foul name she could think of.

Ginny rolled over and sat up gingerly. Stepping into her slippers, she walked into the bathroom and saw her exhausted face looking right back at her. Her eyes were puffy and the lids were lined pink, contrasting horribly against her fair skin. Her freckles looked even more daunting against her tired face, dark circles forming underneath her eyes. She hated crying. It made her feel like a weak, little girl all over again. Ever since her first year, she forced herself to become stronger to get past her inner demons. Even if in this case, her heart was stomped on by a foul, cold, cruel blond. That was what she had to do: be proactive by fixing her current predicament. Her hand reached for the tap, and she splashed some water on her face before deciding to climb back into bed.

She tossed and turned for another hour, unsure of whether to get out of bed, or just stay in until the last possible minute. Her stomach growled in support of getting out of bed sealed the deal. As she walked up to the wardrobe, she saw Lena stirring, murmuring in her sleep. It was still rather early to be up and ready for breakfast, but Ginny decided she may as well get down to business.

After grabbing the nearest clean dress and cardigan, Ginny brushed her hair back into a neat ponytail, careful to make sure not a hair was out of place. She had about half an hour before breakfast. Before heading to the dining room, however, the nervous redhead hoped to catch Narcissa before the morning meal.

Grabbing her things, she quietly headed out of the room, the door shutting behind her in a quiet click. Her small heeled shoes clicked loudly against the quiet marble floors. Most of her fellow classmates were still in bed or just beginning to stir. She followed the usual path of stairs and corridors to her destination: Narcissa Malfoy's study.

Ginny paced for a few moments in front of the door. She had seen the glow of light pooling out underneath the door and knew that her teacher must be inside. There was no way to leave Charm School at this point; she was too far in. Besides, that was taking the coward's way out, and she was determined to stand her ground at any cost. There had to be some kind of compromise to be made. Taking a deep breath, she rapped her knuckles firmly on the door.

She blinked and stepped back as the door magically opened for her. Ginny timidly walked in, and came face to face with an impeccable Narcissa Malfoy. She looked up at the redhead through her dark eyelashes and inquisitive blue eyes. As usual, she looked radiant in poppy yellow robe and her hair was styled elegantly, this time in a French bun. Her hand was wrapped around that trusty quill of hers, still hovering above her notebook. Adjacent to that was a freshly brewed cup of tea, the steam languidly rising up to the heavens.

"Yes, Miss Weasley? Is everything alright?"

Ginny awkwardly cleared her throat. How was she supposed to tell her teacher that her son was an inconsiderate arsehole and she once again hated his guts?

"Sorry to disturb you so early this morning. I just really needed to speak with you."

Narcissa promptly set her quill into its holder and closed her notebook, folding her hands on top of it. Ginny took that as a sign to sit and pulled up one of the armchairs opposite of Narcissa. She sighed then gulped, trying to think of how to best tell her what was wrong. She felt a little immature running to Draco's mother at the first sign of trouble. Ginny also felt guilty for possibly getting Draco into trouble with his mother, perhaps the only authority figure left in his life. _Who cares?_ A voice spoke up in her head. They no longer had any relationship of any kind; so what did she care what happened to him? It irritated her that she cared more than she would like to admit.

"Are you going to begin or must I prompt you?" Narcissa prodded gently but with a sense of impatience.

"Right," Ginny said, though kept her eyes focused on her hands in her lap, which were anxiously wringing the skirt of her dress. "I… I don't know how else to say this, but I need to switch Ball partners, Madam."

"Excuse me?"

Gathering up every ounce of Gryffindor courage, Ginny willed herself to meet Narcissa's gaze. The older woman merely looked confused. "Due to… unforeseen events, I must request a change in partners. Or… better yet, perhaps a partner isn't really needed at all."

"A partner is a key requirement of participating in the Ball," Narcissa replied, frowning.

_Best not push your luck, Gin._ "Right. Well, perhaps a switch of some sort?"

"May I ask why?" Narcissa implored.

Ginny squirmed uncomfortably in her seat. She was praying that Mrs. Malfoy would simply take her word for her it and fulfill her request. Even if Draco was going to be an insensitive, conceited bastard, she was going to take the higher road. After all, Gryffindors were noble. More importantly, it was the best form of revenge.

"I… would rather not say. But what has transpired does not follow this Conservatory's mission," Ginny slowly answered, sounding too formal for her liking. The seriousness in her tone sounded so foreign to the normally jovial Ginny.

"I see," Narcissa simply answered, after realizing she was not going to get another word out of her student. "Well, I will take your request into consideration and let you know."

"T-Thank you," Ginny stuttered, letting out a sigh of relief. She was shocked at how understanding and nonjudgmental Narcissa was being. Not wanting to be in the office a minute longer for fear of bursting out and spilling yesterday's events, Ginny gathered her belongings and made her way to the door.

* * *

><p>There was a shrill buzz in his ear, though he couldn't make out what the noise was. Irritated, Draco grabbed a pillow from underneath him and sandwiched his head between the pillows, hoping to drown out the noise. Instead, it mysteriously got closer. And now somehow his pillow had disappeared from above him.<p>

"Draco Lucius Malfoy! Don't you dare ignore me! You get out of this bed this instant!"

On any other day, Draco would have listened. But he was exhausted. Yesterday's events kept replaying over and over in his mind, and had kept him up last night. Things that normally wouldn't have even phased him several months ago. What was about this situation that made it so different?

"Don't make me levitate you out of this bed, young man."

Luckily his head was facing away from his mother, so she missed frown forming on his face. How in the hell had she found him here? She wasn't supposed to know that Draco had been sleeping in his real room the whole time rather than that assigned so-called dormitory. Maybe if he wrapped the blanket around himself even tighter, he could finally drown out his mother's angry tone enough so it would be dull white noise. If only.

"…_Levoisa_…"

Draco's blanket was suddenly snatched from his balled fists, floating high above his bed near the ceiling. With a growl, he turned over and sat up in bed. The blanket was cast aside, leaving an extremely upset Narcissa Malfoy in front of it.

"Nice to see you too, Mother," Draco grumbled, glowering at her through foggy grey eyes. "Just what do I owe the pleasure?"

"You mean besides the fact that you're breaking one of my rules?" Narcissa retorted, crossing her arms across her chest.

He rose from the bed and lightly brushed past his mother to retrieve his dressing gown. Tightening the belt around himself, he turned to look at her. "You decided that that was worth coming in person to reprimand me for?"

"I knew you were here the whole time," she replied wryly, her icy blue eyes growing simultaneously colder and alight with fire.

Draco raised his eyebrows.

"How would it look if the headmistress' own son can't even follow the rules?" Narcissa asked pointy. Her eyes were growing larger and angrier by the second. It was a sign that he was truly in deep shit, and had done something his mother would not gloss over so easily.

"But maybe I should punish you and force you to stay in that room with Blaise for the remainder of the program."

How tempted he was to ask just what on earth did he do to deserve her wrath so early in the morning. But Draco was not about to unknowingly admit to any sort of wrongdoing. Narcissa would have to come out and say it if she really wanted to give him a lecture.

As if knowing this, Narcissa frowned in acknowledgement. "What have you done to the Weasley girl?"

"Nothing," he responded a little too gruffly.

"Then why was she in my office minutes ago looking like a shell of herself?" Narcissa asked, placing a hand on her hip.

Draco ran a hand through his extremely disheveled blond hair. It was sticking up in too many directions to count from the previous night's restless tossing and turning. "How should I know?"

"How could you mess this up, Draco?" Narcissa's voice rising an octave.

"Why does it bloody matter what happened with Gi-Weasley?" Draco shouted, catching himself. If Ginny refused to call him by his name, then he would too. It was back to formalities. He took a deep breath, willing himself to calm down. There were few people he could truly be himself with it, and unfortunately his mother was one of the few people that could read him easily. It was easy to forget to compartmentalize feelings in front of the few he trusted.

"I don't need her. The family name has been doing just fine without the Weasley girl mucking things up."

"There will be no cursing in my home!" Narcissa chastised.

Draco felt himself grow bolder despite the warning bells blaring in his head. "Besides, this Conservatory doesn't have a hundred percent success rate. It's not like you ended up with your match."

She looked up at him with pursed lips, forming a tight line. "That's because I was paired with Rabastan Lestrange. He looked nervous and flighty even at that age."

Draco shivered upon hearing the creepy man's name. Both of the Lestranges were off their rockers in different ways, having been raised from a first generation Death Eater. At least his own father hadn't been tainted by Voldemort from birth. He shook himself from these thoughts and turned his attention back to his mother. Though he wanted to drop himself into an armchair, he couldn't sit down and lose the literal higher ground at this moment.

Looking up angrily at her petulant, stubborn son, Narcissa let out a small snarl of frustration. Draco hid his smirk, knowing she was refusing to allow herself to be a hypocrite and curse, but unable to find the right words to tell him off. Something shifted in his mother's eyes, frosting her cool blue stare with iciness and a sense of foreboding washed over him. It felt more like Narcissa was looking down on _him,_ rather than the other way around. No matter how tall he was or how much older he got, Narcissa always had the way of making him feel like he was a little boy getting chastised just from the deadly look in her eyes.

"You two go ahead and be bullheaded then," Narcissa snapped. "We'll see what happens.""

Before he could ask what she was going on about, she disappeared with an angry _pop!_

Draco dropped himself into the armchair, cradling his head in his hands from exhaustion and frustration. Nracissa's words felt like a warning, and he had no idea what to expect from her. As fiercely as his mother loved him and would protect him in every way she knew how, that same ferocity was also used to teach him a lesson.

He lifted his head up at a realization. _You two go ahead and be bullheaded._ The two of them? Ginny hadn't ended up telling on him? In a strange way he commended her for not ratting him out, as others who hated his guts were quick to tell tall tales. But of course she wouldn't, she wasn't a Slytherin, but a goody two shoes Gryffindor.

Rubbing a long-fingered hand across his face, he slowly stood up, reluctant to face the long day in front of him.

* * *

><p>The rest of the day passed in a haze for Draco. At breakfast Ginny completely rebuffed him, choosing to sit at the far end of the table, completely opposite from him and Blaise. But at least she had showed up this meal. He was worried when she hadn't shown up to dinner, her favorite meal. Well, every meal was her favorite, so it was completely valid to wonder about a Weasley's well-being if they were missing from the dining table.<p>

Draco had attempted to make his way over to try to get her to talk to him, but Ginny completely ignored him. As if he was one of the antique paintings hung in the luxurious dining room, always passed by without a second thought. Lena had also shot him a deathly glare that basically amounted to "fuck off," so he wisely made his way back to his breakfast plate.

Later, when he slumped into his seat in the lecture room, Draco kept finding himself staring at her silky scarlet waves. She sat there primly, quill in her hand, stuck in that notebook of hers. Ginny looked stiff, almost as if she could feel his eyes on her. A few times he leaned forward, tempted to call out her name, but quickly reeled himself back in, sensing that she would ignore himself at all costs.

It felt as if the past several weeks had been erased and they were back at square one, week one. Everything that they had gone through completely fell away, as though time had reset. It was making him anxious and uncomfortable. Determined to be as stubborn as she was, he refused to allow himself to look at her for the remainder of the class.

However, a hellish forty five minutes later, when they broke for lunch, Draco found his eyes wandering over to the far end of the table. Ginny was actually smiling and laughing, the warm light returning to her large, brown eyes. The minute she saw his pensive grey eyes staring at her, the light faded, her smile dropped, and she quickly turned away.

Draco's attempt at being cold and detached like Ginny wasn't working. The almost hour he had spent determined not to look at her had instead become a period of forcing himself to not think about her, when in reality he still was. There was no denying it. No matter how hard he tried, he simply couldn't quash his strong feelings for Ginny Weasley.

He scowled into his lunch. Normally when he made a mess of things, Draco could rectify his mistakes with flowers or jewelry or something else abhorrently expensive. Weasley was not that kind of woman. Her affections could not be bought. Which was actually one of the reasons he had grown to respect and like her for. _Damn it all. _

This is why Draco hesitated getting involved with her in the first place. Feeling were far too much work to sort through and clouded judgement about everything. It was easier to remain detached and play the field strategically. Feelings made him vulnerable. Draco Malfoy did not like having his guard down. So he did what he knew best, he compartmentalized his feelings just as he had done in the past. Only the most honest feeling wouldn't stay put in its compartment.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Ginny pulled out the one pair of black trousers she brought from her wardrobe and a crisp, maroon blouse. After having to do trial runs of make-up and hair along with all of those snug dress fittings, she just wanted to be comfortable. After running a brush in her hair and grabbing her things, she turned to the door, only to be struck by an obstacle in her path.<p>

Lena was standing in front of the door defiantly, arms crossed. "Not so fast, Ginny."

"What is it?" Ginny asked tiredly. "We're going to be late for breakfast if we don't get a move on."

"I talked to Blaise yesterday and he told me the truth about the bet and Draco."

"So?" Ginny retorted. "I don't care what happened. He _used_ me for his entertainment. I'm not a plaything to be thrown away once he's done with it!"

Lena threw her hands up in frustration. "But that's not what happened! Not exactly, anyway. I think Draco really cares about you. Besides, you two were adorable together."

"Yeah, while he was chatting me up with his likely rehearsed lines," Ginny said with a roll of her eyes. "And like the idiot I am, I fell for it."

"Oh please, he throws a barb at you, you throw a snarky line back at him. It's kind of your guys' M.O.," Lena explained. "Besides, it's totally meant to be! He comes from a rich family, you come from a… not as rich family. He seems like he's a complete snob but deep down he's not as bad as you think he is. You're smart, gorgeous, and can keep him in line. See? Brilliant!"

If only Ginny could roll her eyes on loop. This was the corniest thing she'd ever heard.

"Lena!" Ginny exclaimed. "We're not some Austenian couple!"

"It's not my fault it's a classic trope," Lena countered. "But clichés have to come from somewhere!"

Ginny squeezed her eyes shut and pinched the bridge of her nose in an effort to calm herself down.

Opening her eyes, she said, "Look, even if I did want to know the so-called truth, I'm not ready to deal with him and his stupid smirk right now. Now can we please get down to breakfast? Before I blow the door off from behind you?"

* * *

><p>Draco slid into his new spot across from Blaise at the dining table, feeling tired, though Blaise was nowhere to be found. He had slept longer than usual but didn't wake up feeling refreshed as he had hoped. Feeling the ravenous rumble in his stomach, he reached for a crumpet and butter. Though he was trying to stay focused at the task at hand, Draco found his eyes wandering, hoping to see a familiar glimpse of red dispersed somewhere in the dining room. His eyes eventually fell on Ginny, who seemed to be in a serious conversation with Lena.<p>

He reached for his morning cup of tea, grey eyes unable to tear away from the redhead that looked a little less glum today. He looked down at his freshly brewed drink. The amber colored liquid reminded him of Ginny's eyes, warm and sweet. Bringing the cup to his lips for a sip, the tea tasted bitter and burned the roof of his mouth. Draco glared in her direction crossly, as if it was Ginny's fault that his morning tea no longer tasted the same.

"Maybe I'll just switch to coffee," Draco muttered to no one in particular.

"Why? So it can be black like your soul?" A familiar voice drawled.

Draco looked up to see Blaise settling in across from him, cheerily stacking his plate with bangers and mash. _He_ looked well-rested and ready to take on today's challenge. Draco scowled again.

"You know what they say," Blaise continued as Draco continued to silently glower at him. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder."

"Oh, shove off, Zabini. What are you my great gran?"

"Just throwing the truth out there," Blaise shrugged.

"How about getting your nose out of my business?" Draco snapped.

To his surprise, Blaise dropped the usual light and sarcastic tone he usually touted around. "Look, Draco, you need to sort out your priorities," he explained seriously. "Because my girl won't sit with me so long as you're on the outs with Weasley."

Draco rolled his eyes as Blaise gulped down freshly squeezed orange juice made from the orchards on the Manor's ground.

"It's something you should've done way before shit hit the fan," Blaise added.

The blond said nothing but focused on the plate in front of him. He pushed his breakfast around with his fork on the plate absently, picking at the food rather than digging in like he had anticipated doing minutes ago. He hated when Blaise was right; even a broken clock was right twice a day. Draco had hit a new low.

He reached again for his cup of tea, only for the liquid to swirl coldly in his mouth. Quickly swallowing, he set the cup back on its saucer, mentally chastising himself for foolishly expecting to get different results. A tinkle of laughter floated by his ear, tantalizing and torturing him at the same time. It was Ginny's light, airy laughter hanging in the air.

Looking back, Draco realized that he should have never gotten close to her. Everything had gone too far, for the both of them. He knew he had flown too close to the blazing, red sun.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I got several new follows since the last chapter, so thanks all for following, as well as the people who have been supporting throughout! FFNet was being weird and wouldn't let me post this for a few hours, ugh. I'm going to apologize in advance if there's a longer gap with the next chapter. I'm moving so I may not be able to get the next chapter up as soon as I'd like. Anyway, I do hope you leave a review on the way out, they really make my week and I like to hear what you think!


	16. Fencing

**sixteen. fencing.**

Ginny could feel the coolness of a steely gaze against her back from a distance but staunchly chose to ignore it. But, the curious side of her couldn't resist a sideways glance at her once-again adversary. Draco was now vacantly staring at his morning breakfast while Blaise was enthusiastically digging into what looked like his second helping of everything.

She turned back to Lena and proclaimed, "I would run away with Blaise if I could, at this rate," before disgruntledly ripping off a piece of her buttered toast with her teeth.

"Hey!" Lena exclaimed with a chuckle. She mischievously flung a potato with her fork at Ginny.

The redhead easily caught the tasty morsel and popped it into her mouth.

"At least you have good taste," Lena added. "Madam Malfoy hasn't said anything yet?"

"I'm sure she's reveling in my misery," Ginny replied wryly. "That pasty pillock ruined everything."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" A voice said, sliding in next to her, waves of light brown hair entering her line of vision.

Maxwell offered her a cautious smile and reached over to pile on the indulgent breakfast spread on his plate. He had on what must have been a freshly laundered blue oxford shirt, in addition to his black trousers, judging from the refreshing aroma wafting over to her. It enveloped Ginny in warmth and comfort, smelling nothing like the scent that still clung to one of her cardigans, which she was grateful for, regardless of the fact that she refused to wash said article of clothing.

It struck her how different Max was from the other two men. Though she could feel the same sense of privilege radiating off of him, he didn't have airs about him like Draco and Blaise did. While Draco was arrogant and cool, and Blaise always put up a front that he was above everything, Maxwell was much more inviting and easy going.

"If you must ask," Ginny finally responded. "I am technically out of an escort."

"How so?"

"I may have subtly told Madam Malfoy that her son is an arrogant, inconsiderate bastard."

Maxwell laughed. "I'm pretty sure she's aware of that. Draco was probably just as arrogant and inconsiderate in the womb."

Ginny laughed at the thought of Draco throwing a temper tantrum before he was even born, and decided that it was incredibly likely.

"Ginny, look no further, I'm at your service," Maxwell said, lowering his head in a mock attempt to bow down to her.

A giggle escaped from her lips. Ginny swore she could feel her back grow even colder at this point. She shrugged her shoulders in an attempt to let the frostiness roll off her back.

"What about Daphne?" asked Lena, voicing Ginny's thoughts out loud.

"Daphne Shmaphne," Max brushed it off. He turned to gaze intently at Ginny and his tone lost its lightness. "In all honesty though, she owes you for what she put you through. While I'm actually glad the truth is out there because it was uncomfortable keeping it inside, you didn't deserve to find out that way. I am so sorry for what started out as a silly idea between friends became so harmful. I warned Draco that he was taking it too far, and I'm sorry that I didn't come to you about it."

"I... I don't know what to say," Ginny stammered, at a loss for words. She could hear the sincerity in his voice and it struck a chord. How was it so easy for someone that was an acquaintance to recognize the pain and cruelty that was inflicted upon her instead of the person she wanted to hear it from the most?

Before they knew it, the gong echoed throughout the room, and the students gathered their things while enjoying their last bites before heading off to their morning lecture.

* * *

><p>With lecture over for the day, the students were heading back towards the dining room with stomachs rumbling in anticipation for a filling lunch. Draco couldn't help but notice that Ginny seemed much more chipper than before, much to his chagrin. It was no doubt because of that slithering Maxwell Fawley that had been hanging around her all through breakfast. They had been laughing and having a jolly good time. He could only imagine what rot Max was spewing, no doubt making him look bad.<p>

Just as Draco had reached the large double doors to the dining room, he was stopped by Kendra. She silently handed him an envelope before turning around and sauntering down the hallway without ever speaking. As he stared at the letter in puzzlement, Draco couldn't help but wonder why his mother had decided to hire Kendra in the first place. She barely ever talked unless instructed or really made much of a presence unless absolutely necessary. She reminded him of a mouse. On the other hand, that was probably precisely why Narcissa hired her as a trusty assistant.

Shaking himself of these unnecessary thoughts, he unfolded the parchment encased in the envelope. Scanning the contents, Draco's jaw clenched. He quickly crumpled up the parchment and shoved it in his pocket, unable to discard of it right then and there.

During the duration of the meal, he kept stealing glances at Ginny, who showed no unusual emotion. He angrily bit into his sandwich, wondering how he had gotten caught in this tangled web. _It is your own fault, you idiot,_ Draco chastised himself. This was true, he had weaved a complicated thread and somehow ensnared himself inside of a preventable dilemma.

He silently thanked Merlin when the gong finally sounded, alerting the pupils that lunch was over and that the afternoon session would convene soon. This was his opportunity. While everyone began to shuffle out, rather than look for a flash of red hair like he was used to, Draco instead sought out an unremorseful blonde. She was rounding off the crowd, laying low in the back, chatting amiably with Tracey and Morgan. He quickly strode to the doorway, casually leaning up against it with crossed arms while the room continued to clear. At the sight of Daphne and her followers, he promptly blocked the doorway with his arm.

"Could you get out of the way, Draco?" Daphne requested, irritation laced in her voice.

He said nothing, but shot her a meaningful look.

Dropping her usual dominant stance, she moved to whisper over to her friends, apparently telling them to not wait up for her. Without needing much advice, the other two women quickly shuffled around Malfoy, eager to get out of the way of whatever was about to go down, if Draco's stern disposition was anything to go by.

"Alright, Malfoy, what is it?" Daphne asked tiredly.

"What the hell is this?" Draco demanded, bringing out the crumpled parchment from his pocket, throwing it at the girl.

The parchment fumbled in her clumsy hands but eventually she caught it, unwrapped the note and scanned its contents.

"It seems as if we're going to be the best of friends, _Drakey,_" Daphne commented, her tone dripping with sarcasm. The note Kendra had ceremoniously handed off to him was from his mother, informing him that Draco had been reassigned to a new Ball partner. He was furious, to say the least. Not only did that mean he was going to be stuck with Daphne while Max was with Ginny, but now he was beginning to lose the small glimmer of hope he had to try to rectify their delicate predicament.

"Cut the crap, Greengrass," Draco retorted, his eyes clear and cold. "You've been gunning against Ginny the whole time, and apparently you've succeeded. Tell me now, or I _will_ hex you."

At this, Daphne dropped her cautious temperament. Folding her arms across her chest, she glared back at him. "Look, stop blaming me! This is _not_ my fault."

Draco quirked an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? You're the only person who has a damn problem with her!"

Dropping her arms, Daphne rolled her eyes and brushed past him to walk away from the discussion, growing quickly disinterested at the topic at hand. There was nothing advantageous for her, and she was over the conversation. Before she left, she poked him the chest with one of her long, pointed nails.

"I may not like Weasley, and I thoroughly enjoy watching her seethe, but don't think for a moment that I would dream of giving her any sense of importance in my life by creating some elaborate scheme," Daphne said quietly, reminding him of an angry feline.

Daphne turned away and began to head towards the afternoon session. Calling out over her shoulder, she said, "Go ask Fawley."

_Fawley?_ Draco echoed in his mind. What did he have to do with any of this? Daphne was the one who blurted out the news for everyone to hear up in the Owlery. Could Max still be angry from their disagreement in the kitchens last week? They hadn't really discussed the matter further since then, or really talked, for that matter. But that wasn't rare; they often had little arguments and promptly swept them under the rug.

A wicked smile appeared on Draco's face. Maybe this afternoon's session wouldn't be completely useless after all. With all of the recreational activities the students were going to explore, he was bound to be partnered up with Maxwell. That was where he would finally get to the bottom of this expanding quandary of his.

* * *

><p>After pulling on the spotless white trousers and using her wand to zip up the fencing jacket, Ginny reached for a helmet, just as everyone else was doing as she surveyed the room. They were somewhere on the second floor, facing west judging by the ceiling to floor paned window that cast the afternoon sun on the wooden floor that was covered in blue mats. She wasn't sure what this room was used for, but it was undoubtedly fancy judging by the expensive looking chandelier and ornate teal wallpaper, which was a stark contrast to the fencing memorabilia stationed around the room.<p>

They had just watched a live demonstration on the basics of fencing and were now preparing to face off each other. Thankfully she had been training with Draco before everything imploded, because though she looked as if she was closely studying the instructor's movements, her mind was miles away.

Narcissa had informed her in writing that she had been reassigned a partner for the remainder of the program and Ball. Even though this was the very thing she had been wishing for, a part of her still felt sad while breathing a sigh of relief. Every so often, thoughts about the situation with Draco would wash over her like a crashing wave, sending her into a cyclone of confusion.

"Does your helmet smell?"

Ginny's head snapped up in confusion until the words registered in her brain a moment later. Refusing to waste another second thinking about the impossible Draco Malfoy, she quickly tied up her hair.

"Why can't we do something that doesn't give us helmet hair? I'm bloody fantastic at Quidditch," Ginny grumbled to Lena, who was still warily eyeing the unlikely pungent helmet.

"I swear, Gin, you're obsessed with Quidditch."

Ginny sniffed her helmet, both in part for Lena's sake and her own growing apprehension.

"Smells fine to me."

They pulled on their gloves and reached for a sword on display, and together they walked over to the nearest mat to begin the opening exercises. Ginny could feel the rush of excitement coursing through her veins. Even if it was a sport she was unfamiliar with, she was happy to be doing something physical and active.

"Class, we will begin with our counter-sixte-riposte carte."

Tapping her wand on her helmet, it secured itself around her head, before tucking the instrument into her suit's pocket. They both took their positions, knees bent, Ginny placing her right leg forward, Lena doing the opposite.

"Beginning salute."

They both raised their swords, pointing straight up in the air in front of their faces. Lena flashed her a silly grin, sticking her tongue out. Ginny bit her cheek to prevent herself from bursting out in laughter.

"Isn't it odd to be practicing a sport whose original intent was to kill people?"

Lena chuckled. "Well, we do have dueling clubs still around."

"Touché, Shafiq."

"En Garde," warned Kendra, who was leading the students through their exercises.

All of the women swiped their arms down in one fluid movement, the whipping sounds of the thin blades echoing in the room.

"Right side advance."

Lena moved forward as Ginny moved back and they swiftly reversed positions. Lena lunged as prompted, but Ginny easily blocked the attack, her blade clanking against Lena's. They easily went back and forth, neither eager to defeat the other. It became an easy dance between the two, going back and forth in sync.

Eventually Kendra came to split them up, recognizing that their match wasn't going to go anywhere. Ginny smiled sheepishly as Lena sulked away, both saddened by the fact that they were being separated. But Ginny's mood turned grim when she saw her new partner standing before her. Daphne rolled her eyes at Ginny's uninviting face.

Daphne Greengrass. Just looking at her smug, pretty face irritated Ginny to no end. She could feel the heat blooming on her cheeks as her ire rose. It was all because of her that whatever she had with Draco was ruined. _Great, now I'm thinking about Malfoy again. _The blasted cow just had to go and open her mouth, didn't she? Just what was Daphne's problem with her that she felt the need to stick her brand new nose into every damn situation in her life since she arrived at Malfoy Manor?

_Would you really have wanted to live in ignorance? _A voice asked from deep within. Though she knew it was better that she had finally found out the truth, the immature side would have been more than happy to live in bliss against her better judgement. Plumes of anger rose in her chest, and she exhaled deeply in a feeble attempt to get rid of her irate feelings.

"Earth to Weasley. I haven't got all day, you know."

Her eyes flickered to Daphne, irritation flashing in the other girl's hazel eyes. Unconsciously adjusting her helmet, though she hadn't even taken it off, Ginny got back into her standing position, right leg leading her left, bent and squat.

Daphne also took her position, raising her sword and lunged at Ginny. The redhead stiffened, attempting to stay stoic, roughly blocking Daphne's attempt by clashing her blade against the other.

"What's your problem?" Daphne huffed, visibly raising an eyebrow through the mesh front of her helmet.

"Why, nothing, Greengrass, why do you ask?" Ginny replied sarcastically.

Kendra announced the next exercise, meaning that it was Ginny's turn to advance. She took several steps as she sprang forward, using more force than necessary in an attempt to disarm Daphne. The thin blade of her sword clashed loudly with Daphne's, causing the other woman to jump back in surprise, though she managed to defend herself.

"Easy there, Weasley!" Daphne shouted, recovering from the forceful advance.

"Left side retreat!" Kendra called out.

As instructed, Ginny withdrew, bringing her sword back down to her side.

"We're fencing, not playing gobstones," Ginny explained snidely. "I would think you of all people would know the difference."

Getting exasperated with Ginny's foul mood, Daphne snapped into action. She stepped forward with the intent to return Ginny's advancement with equal force. They continued to spar forcefully, parrying against each other with all their might. No matter what direction Ginny came at in order to try to defeat Daphne once and for all, the blonde was quick to block the move.

"Stop doing that, Weasley! You're not supposed to be parrying that hard!" Daphne shouted, slightly out of breath from the unexpected exertion of the activity.

Ginny either ignored her shouting or simply chose not to listen. The heat that had bloomed on her cheeks was coursing through her veins, circulating throughout her entire body. She had reached a wall and was ready to climb over and run away from it all. Only, Daphne seemed to be in her way of her escape plan.

"You did this all on purpose!" Ginny cried, still angrily stabbing her sword in Daphne's direction. "To make me look like a fool!"

Daphne, to her credit, was still parrying strong, despite the genuine confusion written on her face based on the wide eyes Ginny could see through the mask. By now, some of the other students were gathering around them, dropping their own swords and pitching their helmets up in an effort to see what was going on between the two women.

"Don't give me that coy I-didn't-do-anything-wrong face!" Ginny snapped, still trying every which way to attack Daphne from an unexpected direction.

"What face?" Daphne shouted angrily. "I'm wearing a mask, you twit!"

"I know you don't like me and we had this rivalry going on. I just assumed your hatred of me was some sort of stunted immaturity but I didn't think you would sink this low, Greengrass," Ginny roared angrily, the two still in a combative duel of swords. Their swords clanged violently close to the hilt. Both of the girls came close, looking at each other eye to eye as their arms and swords locked against each other in battle.

"All of you have probably been meeting behind my back, laughing, and making fun of me. 'Look at Ginny Weasley, isn't she a gullible, old bat!'"

By now the whole class was watching, even if Kendra was futilely trying to get the women back in order. Normally, this kind of attention would have embarrassed Ginny, but she frankly didn't care. She had hit her breaking point and was ready to lash out at the nearest person.

"Weasley, don't be mad at me," Daphne huffed, out of breath from pushing against the redhead. Both of the girls retreated to opposite ends of the mat. "Think of me as doing you a favor."

"A favor? You ruined everything!" Ginny thundered, diving forward and aimed at Daphne's right side. The blonde's sword was at her left side and she was unable to defend against the incoming attack from the right. With an angry swat, the blade in Daphne's hand fumbled and fell to the ground. That didn't stop Ginny. She still came forward, swinging the sword in every which direction towards her opponent.

Not knowing what to do, Daphne's eyes grew large in horror and she stumbled backwards in a panic. Ginny continued to advance, slashing her sword this way and that, as they both moved towards the other side of the room. Not noticing a sword cast aside on the ground, Daphne tripped over it and fell to the ground, her back hitting the padded mats. She gasped and groaned, reaching up to remove the stuffy helmet to let in fresh air.

Ginny came to stand on top of her, pointing her sword her at Daphne's chest, barely grazing her blindingly white jacket. She also reached up to remove her helmet, feeling stifled by the mesh contraption and threw it aside.

"I don't know why I expected anything from any of you. But, somehow, against my better judgement, I trusted you. I guess that was my mistake," Ginny admitted quietly. Daphne gazed at her, the pupils in her hazel eyes constricting in fear.

It was then that Ginny realized that she wasn't even really speaking to Daphne anymore. Though she had finally beaten her at something, it wasn't even worth it in the end. The ecstasy she had expected to build up in her body and lift her off the ground never came. Instead, she felt empty and hollow inside. Ginny's chest rose and fell in quick succession as she willed herself to calm down. A kaleidoscope of Daphnes began to appear in front of her eyes. Blonde merged with the white of the jacket until the image blurred completely. There was wetness in her eyes. It was tears. Tears were forming and beginning to descend though she tried in vain to refrain from letting them fall.

Ignoring the shocked faces of the other girls in the room, Ginny's blazing brown eyes angrily searched for the door. She quickly made a beeline for it, desperately in need for some fresh air and time away from these people she knew little about.

Just as she was about to exit, Narcissa came through the doorway, looking dismayed at the whole scene before her. All of the girls were still circling Daphne, who was still on the floor, heaving deep breaths while dramatically clutching the part of her chest that was centimeters away from Ginny's sword minutes ago. Right when Narcissa was about to open her mouth and presumably ask Ginny what in the world she was doing, Ginny, instead peeled off her gloves and stuck her sword in the nearest mannequin hanging against the wall, piercing it through the heart. She walked out of the room without another word.

No one made a move to bring her back to the class. No one called out her name. _Good,_ she thought, _enough was enough._ As she began to ascend the stairs, she began to realize that wasn't even really that angry at Daphne. She was angry that Draco had betrayed her, and most of all, what Daphne had said that day in the Owlery was true. Draco Malfoy was using her for some kind of sick bet and twisted enjoyment. After finally getting slightly comfortable in this world, she was beginning to consider that perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to be a part of Pureblood society. Now more than ever, Ginny wanted nothing to do with this place or these people if they were all as cruel and fickle as he.

* * *

><p>Beads of sweat were forming on his forehead and he absent-mindedly wiped it off with his sleeve. Draco raked his hair back with a hand as he scanned the room. The room contrasted sharply with the rest of the ornate house with its plain, solid concrete walls and padded floors. The rooms were soundproof and charmed with insulation spells in order to prevent any structural damage. Save for the lit sconces that lined the room, the walls were a plain, windowless grey. Everyone was cooling off and gathering their belongings to leave the battle room.<p>

Draco had signed up for the dueling session for that afternoon, and had done a pretty good job overtaking every individual in the class. It wasn't just because he just happened to be an adept dueler, which he was, it was more likely because of the sheer force each of his spells had on his opponents. Perhaps he was channeling a bit too much of his negative energy and anger into his incantations. His eyes landed on Maxwell, who was also taking a breather. Their eyes locked and Maxwell gave him a friendly wave and Draco silently accepted the invitation to walk over. He knew this was his chance to finally get a bit of information. He heard the iron double doors loudly slam and knew they were the only two left in the room.

"That was a good match, Dra-" Maxwell started, before Draco grabbed a fistful of his robes and threw Maxwell up against a nearby wall.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Draco snarled angrily.

"Me?! What is wrong with you?" Maxwell gasped, alarmed by the sudden change in the air and the surprising force Draco used against him. With Draco pushing him up against the wall, they were at eye level. He could see the confusion and alarm in Maxwell's eyes, but refused to break off the piercing stare he was giving him. After all, Max was a Slytherin in Hufflepuff's clothing.

"Daphne told me this whole mess was your fault," Draco growled, continuing to shove Maxwell against the wall.

"Damnit, Daphne," Maxwell muttered, his innocent façade crumbling away.

"Don't blame her, it's not her fault," Draco reassured snidely. "Besides. I threatened to hex her so she had no choice."

"Always the gentleman, Malfoy," Maxwell sneered, his eyes narrowing at the blond.

"How the hell did you get manage to switch partners?" Draco asked, demanding an answer. "What's your angle?"

As if suddenly finding his own strength, Maxwell pushed back against Draco, breaking free the iron fists that were clamped around his shirt.

"Is ickle Draco throwing a tantrum because he finally didn't get his way for once?" Maxwell asked sarcastically before he dropped the tone. "Deal with it."

"Is this because of that disagreement in the kitchens the other day? I know you're petty Fawley, but this is too far," Draco retorted, bringing his arms down to his side, just in case he needed to have his wand at the ready.

Maxwell snorted. "You really think this is about that stupid little discussion? Newsflash, Malfoy, the world does not revolve around you. I was hoping finally, just finally, you would fall on your arse with this little bet. Somehow, you managed to fuck up my whole plan."

Draco paused, taken aback by the bitterness in Maxwell's voice. He had no idea where any of this was coming from. They had been good friends for more than seven years, and he had never acted like this before.

"All of you – Zabini, Nott, the whole lot – have had everything handed to you your whole lives. Somehow, my parents managed to scrape by and climb their way back up to the top, bloodlines notwithstanding," Maxwell continued, talking to himself out loud more than he was to Draco. "I've had enough. I'm sick of your condescending attitude, Malfoy. For once, you're going to lose and I'm going to win. And there's nothing you can do about it because Ginny Weasley hates your fucking guts."

Maxwell flashed him an evil, conquering grin. Draco couldn't decide how he should handle this: should he wipe that disgusting leer off of his face the old fashioned way with his fist or with a nasty combination of spells? His hand dove into his pocket, wrapping around his wand, just in case.

"Before you know it, I'm going to charm the pants off of her," Maxwell continued with that stupid, triumphant smile on his face. "I'll get to find out if the carpet match the drapes, if you know what I mean."

Draco's eyes flashed angrily. Without another thought, he pulled out his wand and cast a Tongue-Tying Curse on Maxwell without another thought. Maxwell sputtered, his tongue curling backwards against his will. Before he had a chance to run away, Draco muttered, "_Locomotor Mortis_" followed by a "_Lignum Contra_", effectively gluing Maxwell against the wall while his legs became bound. A silver jet streamed out of his wand as he shouted "_Rictumsempra!_" with more force than he anticipated. Maxwell's knees buckled as he doubled over in laughter, though it was very much muffled with his tongue still jammed in his mouth while still flush against the wall. Instead, all Draco could see was the pained expression on Maxwell's face and hear strange honking noises coming out of the other man's mouth.

"This has always been your problem, Fawley. You talk too much."

With a satisfied yet twisted smirk, Draco eyed his handiwork. He returned his tucked his wand away and dusted off his hands, still admiring his creation. The spells were an improvisation on his part, but they got the job done. _Interesting combination,_ Draco thought to himself as he turned on his heel. _Remind myself to write this down._

He left his idiot former friend to deal with the consequences of his actions. Eventually, someone would find him and end the spells, but for now he could suffer silently in the battle room in the far left corner of the third floor.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** lulz, everyone is mad. The fencing scene is definitely semi-borrowed from Gilmore Girls ("I Solemnly Swear"... whoa I just realized that episode title relates to HP!). So yeah… it's been a long time since an update, but I have reasons! I was moving, still job hunting, had relatives over, went to a wedding, AND now recovering from a nasty cold, so I do hope this chapter is to par! I'm hoping to get back into regular updating, but between job hunting and other projects, it may not be so soon (but not after two months, either!) I'm anticipating about 5 more chapters including the epilogue. Thank you so much for your lovely reviews as always, I really do hope you leave one on the way out – they truly keep me going when I feel like this story and/or my writing is crap, lol. Also, I wrote a new one-shot "Almost Birthday" in honor of Draco's birthday (that will be up shortly after this posting), so please check that out and hopefully leave a review right after leaving one on this story! And thanks to the guests for your lovely reviews; I only wish I could reply to you individually.


	17. Revise

**seventeen. revise.**

Ginny woke up the next morning halfway through breakfast. Knowing it was too late to take a shower, she pulled on the most comfortable things she could find: a pair of jeans and a light jumper. She knew it wasn't exactly regulation attire, but at this point, she didn't care. She had been up late between getting acclimated to having Maxwell as her partner and focusing on revising for the final exam. She figured if she had to see this whole thing through, she may as well do the best she can. Galleons were hard to come by, after all. And Ginny Weasley was no quitter.

She threw her hair up in a careless bun and grabbed her belongings without a second glance at the mirror. She knew what she would be seeing in the reflection: an exhausted Ginny. There were likely dark circles and bags underneath her eyes from cramming in as much study time as she could before passing out for a few hours. The whole situation with Draco had been distracting her from her objective of successfully completing the program. She wasn't about to let a dumb bloke get in the way of her goals.

Instead of heading down the last flight of stairs towards the dining room, she made a left after hopping down the second set of stairs, towards the kitchens. She was not in the mood to get questioning looks from the other women about her outfit. Nor did she want to have to talk to Maxwell. He was nice and all, and easy on the eyes, but that was it. It just wasn't the same. She missed the snarky conversations she had with Draco. It was refreshing, it was exciting, and it always kept her on her toes. Ginny sighed as she reached over the counter to grab a few muffins and coffee. She needed the strong stuff to make it through the day.

Just as she was digging into the second muffin, she heard a muffled rumbling noise in the distance, likely the gong signaling the beginning of class. Ginny sighed and silently wrapped the muffin up to put in her book bag for safekeeping. She needed all the fuel she could get.

By the time she arrived to the classroom, nearly everyone had settled in. Thoughtfully, Lena had saved a seat for her in the back, far away from Draco and Blaise. She would have to thank Lena one of these days for being so considerate. It was the final class before their final exams tomorrow, and the morning session would simply a revising period. She was extremely grateful for that because Ginny wasn't sure how much information she could fit into her overworked brain.

As she settled into her seat in between the window and Lena, Ginny looked around the room while taking out her notes and quills out of her bag. Narcissa sat at the front of the room behind a large, looming wooden desk. She was scribbling away as usual in that notebook of hers while the room was quietly humming. Maxwell, she noticed, looked a little deflated at having to sit next to Daphne and her friends. It seemed like Draco and Blaise were not talking to him. Nor was she in the mood to plaster on an artificial smile and make small talk with him, either. Ginny couldn't help but smirk a little at the sight before her.

"I thought you were happy that you got reassigned partners," Lena asked quietly, noticing Ginny's expression.

Ginny turned to look at Lena's questioning glance. "I mean, I am. But…" she trailed off, unsure of what to say.

"What time did you get in last night? You were up pretty late practicing," Lena asked.

"We were practicing the waltz. It took a little getting used to since I've only ever practiced with Dra-Malfoy," Ginny replied, quickly catching herself. "It was a bit harder to get used to our height difference."

Lena snorted. "Draco's taller than Maxwell and you guys seemed to move around the room just fine, Gin."

"Yeah, well…" Ginny stopped herself. She couldn't exactly tell Lena that it just wasn't the same dancing with Max. Every time he touched her, placing his hand on her back or their hands clasped together, she felt numb. Ginny missed the sparks that flew between her and Draco. They just… worked, somehow. Ginny couldn't explain it, but she could feel it. It was really too bad that Draco turned out to be a conniving bastard.

Ginny frowned. She needed to stop reliving the past. There was no point on focusing on inconsequential matters. It wasn't going to help her pass this exam. "No offense, Lena, but I really need to get to memorizing all of these useless facts for the exam."

Lena's eyes searched Ginny's darting ones but said nothing. Instead, she turned back to her own lecture notes and began to concentrate on revising herself. Ginny breathed a quiet sigh of relief and focused on her own task at hand. She opened her notebook to the first page and began to concentrate on memorizing each and every fact that she had meticulously documented during lectures.

Not even fifteen minutes later, Ginny's eyes were growing tired and overwhelmed by the charts in front of her. She had hated History of Magic back at Hogwarts, and memorizing everything about the Pureblood families was just as torturous.

"Psst, Lena," Ginny whispered, nudging her friend.

"What?" Lena replied, blinking at her owlishly.

"These bloodlines are bloody confusing," Ginny said, bringing her notebook to the middle of their table. "How exactly is Blaise attending Charm School? I don't remember Zabini being one of the Sacred Twenty Eight."

Shuffling through her own parchments, Lena produced a long scroll of the bloodlines. Ginny squinted, trying to make heads or tails of it, but it was impossible. All of the lines crissed and crossed on so many different directions it was making her own eyes cross.

Lena followed one of the solid black lines with the tip of her quill, Ginny's eyes trailing close behind. "See here? I guess his grandmother... or great grandmother?... Is a Flint. Something like that. It took me awhile to figure out too, what with Blaise's mother marrying nearly a dozen times."

"These flow charts barely flow. It's an incestuous spider web," Ginny commented, still gazing at the tangle of lines. She noticed that Blaise was distantly related to the Fawleys, through his mother's side. From her cram session last night, she had gathered that the Fawleys were not as rich as some of the other Sacred families. Her family would always be at the bottom, but Maxwell's family had nowhere near the same amassed fortune as the Malfoys and Zabinis.

"You know how these old-fashioned Pureblood families are," Lena shrugged. "They feel the need to keep the bloodlines pure. It's kind of ridiculous, honestly. How many different ways can you be distantly related before it's too much?"

At Lena's last comment, Ginny couldn't help but scan the flow chart once again. She inwardly breathed a sigh of relief to see that she was very distantly related to Draco. And immediately after the fact, she wanted to slap herself for feeling the need to figure this out. _What does it matter now? It's over! Move on, woman! _

"Okay, okay. So damn pushy," Ginny muttered out loud to her inner voice.

"Hmm?" Lena said, barely looking up from her notes.

"Nothing," Ginny said quickly, slightly grimacing at her for voicing her thoughts out loud. "Just making sure this information is ingrained in my brain before the night is over."

* * *

><p>After piling his plate with a mountain of food, Draco quickly escaped into the common room. He was in no mood to sit with the rest of the class in the dining room. Nearly everyone was frantic about the silly exam, though he couldn't understand why. For most of his classmates, this was knowledge that they had grown up with. All of these things should be secondhand to them. Even Daphne, who knew the material like the back of her hand, forced him to revise last night.<p>

So, he enjoyed the peace and quiet of the room as he ate his lunch. It was the last bit of silence he would have over the next couple of days. After lunch, they would be heading over to the MVO Headquarters for a run-through of Saturday's event. Everyone needed to know their marks and when to enter to the music. Between the procession, the introduction, and the dancing, he knew it would be a large ordeal with the entire student body.

At least Draco managed to be productive during his speedy lunch. He caught up on the mountain of owls he had received in the past few days. He had been futilely ignoring them during the entire mess that he had fallen into with Ginny. But there was little time to wallow. He swiftly responded to the most urgent letters and even managed to read a few contracts, despite the fact that he kept yawning while scanning through the parchment scrolls. Draco still wasn't getting a good night's sleep. He hadn't felt this exhausted in a long time, even with some of the stressful acquisitions the Malfoy Estate had dealt with under his charge.

Draco eyed the wristwatch on his arm, and decided to head back to his room to change. If they were going to be dancing, he had best put on proper footwear before his mother would nag him about it later.

With his plate finished, it simply vanished, the house elves magically summoning it back to the kitchens. Banishing up his writing materials to their rightful place, Draco quickly headed into the hallway and ascended the flights of stairs necessary to his bedroom. Just as he had one more staircase to mount, Draco ran into the person he least wanted to see in the corridor.

"Oh, joy. It's you," she deadpanned.

It was Ginny. Only it was an exhausted, cranky Ginny in front of him. She looked as tired and over everything as he felt. The jumper looked very old with its frayed edges as did the jeans. Her hair was haphazardly pulled back into a messy knot, while there were dark circles and slight bags under her eyes. A thick parchment scroll was in her hand, crumpling in her fist.

"So, that's how it's going to be?" Draco suddenly blurted out. He hadn't meant to say that out loud, let alone to Ginny. He intended to be calm and collected, putting up his usual cool façade so she wouldn't expect anything. But Draco was tired. Tired of acting like nothing bothered him and pretending that nothing had happened between the two of them.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ginny retorted with a frown.

Draco snarled in frustration. "It's always one step forward, two steps backwards with us! Why is it like this?" It had taken forever for the both of them to warm up to each other, and just like that in a blink of an eye, whatever foundation they had built had crumbled beneath them.

"Maybe you should ask yourself that," she snapped, moving forward to walk past him. She carefully made sure not to brush up against him as she made her way down the corridor.

Draco angrily ran a hand through his hair. He wasn't good at laying out his emotions before him. Ginny easily wore her heart on her sleeve, but he rarely told people things. Real things. Things that he was feeling, hoping, imagining. He watched her reach the end of the corridor before disappearing with a right turn.

He sighed regretfully. His mind was overflowing with words that were left unspoken. The Manor suddenly seemed too small for the both of them. Knowing he had to escape to gather his wits, Draco quickly climbed the staircase, two steps at a time.

Once he reached the room, he threw the door open and made a beeline for his dresser, the third drawer from the top in particular. It had slowly been designated his junk drawer, where he kept hideous things that he didn't know what to do with. He couldn't re-gift them or exactly get rid of them either, so the items had eventually been allocated into this drawer. Draco probably should have burned all its contents, but that required effort. He slid the drawer open and quickly cast aside several things to find the thing that he was looking for.

He cast aside a pair of neon red and green flashing socks that still hadn't had its charm worn off despite the fact they were given to him two years ago. Then there was the dinky certificate stating that a star was named after him, when in reality there were dozens of stars named after him. Better known as a constellation. He had quickly dumped the insipid girl that had proudly given him that redundant gift. Draco also threw tacky towels over his shoulder that had been given to him by a potential investor. What made matters worse was that they were monogrammed, but with the incorrect initials.

A look of triumph graced Draco's face as his hands wrapped around a small rectangular box. His arm snaked out of the drawer, cigarette carton still in hand. He knew it was a bad idea, and he hadn't had one in at least a month, but it was the perfect escape.

Several minutes later, Draco had Apparated near the stables. Normally, he would never bother to stray this far onto the Malfoy grounds unless it was necessary, but he wanted to get away as far as possible. He couldn't go out to the Quidditch Pitch or stew in the gardens like he usually would do. The bloody redhead could be anywhere. At least he knew she wouldn't want to come anywhere near the stables after that embarrassing incident with Daphne.

Draco reached into the pocket of his trousers and returned with the carton. He gave it a couple of shakes until a white stick finally jiggled out of it. Right when he was about to light the cigarette, Draco heard a moan. A feminine moan.

He wrinkled his face in disgust. "Bloody hell, is this for real? This place is worse than Hogwarts."

Fortunately, there were a series of stables, so Draco raced towards the other end of the stables as fast as his feet could take him. He cast a silencing charm in the direction of the presumably shagging couple just for good measure. Draco also wished he could magically wipe the moment from his mind. Alas, memory charms were not his forte.

He leaned against one of the stables, lit the cigarette, and began to enjoy it in silence. A steady stream of smoke escaped from his nose as he exhaled in pleasure. Suddenly, a horse neighed behind him, brushing up against Draco's back. It startled him, causing him to lose his footing.

_Squish._

Draco's eyes widened. He reluctantly looked down to see that his expensive formal shoes had ended up in horse droppings. He had hit a new low. Literally and figuratively, he was in deep shit.

* * *

><p>That Friday evening, everyone was anxiously waiting for their final exam results. While most of the students had gathered in the common room after dinner to pass the time until the results were delivered, Ginny decided to retreat to her room. Not only had she wanted to get a head start on her packing, she wanted to avoid Draco. She had been unnerved by his rare display of emotions in the corridor yesterday. It almost made Ginny want to give him a chance and break her stubborn resolve. But she couldn't let him continue to make a fool of her, so she quickly turned the other cheek.<p>

A couple of hoots from the balcony doors alerted Ginny that the post had finally arrived. She dropped the dress she was folding and was surprised to see two owls on the railing of the balcony. She walked out into the cool night to see a Malfoy Manor owl regally balancing itself on the balcony next to an overly enthusiastic Pigwidgeon.

Ginny retrieved the letters from the owls and give them treats before they took off for their journeys back to their homes. Walking back to her bed, she scanned both of the letters. The first one was addressed to her in Hermione's even handwriting. She quickly opened up the letter and scanned its contents with a sigh, making a note to write back to her later. There was too much to tell her and she simply didn't have time. Hermione would understand. Throwing her friend's letter into her book bag, she turned the other envelope around. It bore a waxy seal emblazoned with the Mulieres Viginti Octo crest. Ginny's hands trembled a little as she carefully opened the letter. A wave of relief coursed through the body. She had passed the course with flying colors, with an Outstanding. At least everything that had transpired here hadn't been for naught.

She threw herself onto the bed, laying on a pile of rumpled clothing and all of her other belongings. The whole morning she had been nervous, almost as nervous as she had been before her first Hogwarts Quidditch game and her final Healer's exams. She had barely eaten anything for breakfast, except for a piece of toast Lena forced down her throat, which thankfully abated her nausea. Ginny had chewed through the quill she was using on the exam, and had to throw it away, as much as it pained her.

After the euphoria had worn off from getting her exam results, a bundle of nerves were beginning to tighten in her stomach once again at the thought of tomorrow. The Ball was a culmination of everything they had learned in Charm School. Nearly every lesson they had learned would be put to the test in a practical setting. Even though they weren't being evaluated anymore, it somehow made it worse as they would be rubbing shoulders with the crème de la crème of Pureblood society.

Moreover, Ginny was happy to return to her quaint, regular life. She would be getting her Healer's schedule in a matter of days and couldn't wait to see what floor of St. Mungo's she would be placed at. Most significantly, she would finally be moving out of Shell Cottage! It was both scary and thrilling to know that she would finally be moving out on her own, truly beginning her grown-up adult life.

_Alone_. There was that silly, little voice in her head again. Ginny quickly pushed that thought aside and got up from the bed. It was time to get a move on and finish packing her things. Everything she had brought to Malfoy Manor had been thrown onto the bed, except for the few comfortable clothes she would need tomorrow and her Ball gown. Looking at the sight before her, she was determined to get everything done tonight in order to sleep in as late as possible before having to get ready to go to Headquarters.

_It's going to be a long night, _Ginny thought grimly as she went back to folding her clothes.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Ginny was woken up by an irate Lena who was threatening to project water out of her wand in order to wake the redhead up. She dragged her feet after a quick shower as she pulled on a t-shirt and shorts before packing up her necessary items for the long day ahead. Today was finally the day. The Ball. A few weeks ago she was cautiously excited for the event, but now she just wanted to get it over with.<p>

Ginny and Lena met the rest of the class in the same drawing room that they had all gathered in the first day. Everyone had luggage and garment bags tucked over their arms for the night. All of the other suitcases and trunks would be t delivered to their homes by the house elves. She took a small look around the room. It had the same purple walls and the morning sunlight spilling through the towering windows. Only instead of thirty nervous witches and wizards in cocktail attire, everyone looked a lot like Ginny. Some were nervous, some were impatient, while some were simply still sleepy. Everyone seemed to have pulled on whatever comfy clothes they could find.

As Ginny moved forward to place a finger on the portkey with her classmates, it struck her. This would be the last time she would be setting foot in Malfoy Manor. This time tomorrow she would be waking up in her tiny little bed in the Burrow, likely with her mother fawning all over her. Just as she soaked in one last glance over as much of the Manor as she could, a place and now a society she no longer feared, that familiar tug at her navel pulled her in and whisked her away.

Once she regained her composure on the paved ground underneath her feet, she gazed up at the building before her. While it was most definitely not as large as Malfoy Manor, it was still an impressive building. It was a stunning white structure with a triangular roof, held up with striking columns. It by exquisite gardens and lush grass, and there was no other building anywhere close by. She assumed they must be in some Wizarding portion of England, but couldn't be entirely sure. Grasping the strap of her duffel bag slung on her shoulder, Ginny followed the rest of the class into Mulieres Viginti Octo Headquarters.

Kendra led the way, pointing out some of the rooms they were passing by, as if they were on an official tour. They had passed by several offices and conference rooms, and the banquet hall. However, the banquet hall's grand doors were tightly locked, going under preparations for the event tonight. Once they had passed through a library that contained desks, lamps, and hundreds of valuable books. The men and women parted ways at the staircase.

The women walked into a large room with plenty of dressing room stations. A series of empty chairs stood before lighted mirrors with all of the necessary cosmetics and hair products for the women. Ginny hung up her Ball gown on the nearest rack to be steamed by a house elf. She settled into the nearest station next to Lena, and before she knew it, preparations began to go underway.

Every little thing was taken care of before the end of the day. Eyebrows were shaped to perfection, any unnecessary body hair was magically removed, hands and toes were given manicures and pedicures, and everyone's teeth were gleaming white. Just as she had finally taken a breather with refreshing cucumber water, a familiar face grinned behind her. Giovanni looked back at her in the mirror through his blue-tinted glasses. Ginny resisted the urge to roll her eyes, praying to anyone that would listen that he wouldn't go crazy with her hair.

Before she knew it, it was thirty minutes before the Ball promptly began at six o'clock in the evening. Her hair and makeup were tastefully done, and Ginny was more than satisfied with how she looked. The gown that she had assistance in getting zipped up in from Lena, looked absolutely breathtaking. Ginny slipped into her high heels and gathered the skirt of her dress to head out into the corridor that led to the staircase into the banquet hall.

The other girls looked around for their partners just as she was doing, all looking classically stunning in their respective ball gowns. The men looked like they had been waiting around for much longer, undoubtedly having had to spend less time getting ready than the women.

Kendra quickly forced the young men out of the corridor and led them downstairs. While their escorts were an integral part of the evening, each of the women would make their grand entrance into high society at the arms of their fathers. Their respective escort would meet them at the foot of the stairs, and the woman would pass through the hands of her father to her escort. There, they would form an assembly line to greet and curtsey at important officials in high society. After a decadent formal dinner, the real program would begin. Each debutante would be formally introduced to the audience and the president of Mulieres Viginte Octo. They would perform a formal waltz as a class before they were left to their own devices to navigate a high society function at their leisure.

"Ladies," Kendra's instructive voice floated over to her. "Please find your fathers and get in line in alphabetical order. We're to start in a few minutes."

**A/N:** And we'll be at the Ball (finally!) in the next chapter! Sorry if this one seemed a little short and with a cliffhanger, but I'm planning to make the next one longer. Thank you all so much for your lovely words and fantastic words. My writing time is also becoming more limited since now I'm out of the house four days a week. Good for me, bad for writing time. But in the meantime, I have another one shot up called "New Romantics"! My brain has been exploding with ideas, and I couldn't resist this one. Oh, and, I'm always randomly on my Tumblr (notallmalfoys) and I created a Twitter on a whim (notallmalfoys). Thanks so much for sticking with this story for this long by following, favoriting, and reviewing! I do hope you leave another awesome review on your way out! And maybe check out that one-shot as well. :)


	18. Ball

**eighteen. ball.**

"Dad!" Ginny called out to her father, recognizing the back of his ginger head.

Arthur Weasley turned around and his warm blue eyes lit up. She couldn't help but notice how smart her father looked in his finest dress robes. Though they were undoubtedly old, it was one of the few garments he had taken great care in preserving. Ginny couldn't wait to see her mother, who was likely downstairs in the ballroom, in her own formal dress. Molly Weasley rarely took an evening for herself, so she was sure that it would be a treat for her mother to enjoy the night with her husband.

Ginny maneuvered herself through the other girls, all in their elaborate gowns, to embrace her father. It felt really good to see a familiar face from home, especially after the rough time she had been having lately.

"Ginny, you look beautiful!" Arthur proclaimed, once they finished embracing.

"Thanks, Dad," Ginny replied with a shy smile.

"I met your partner, Maxwell, he seems like a nice fellow," her father said as Ginny placed her hand in the crook of his arm. They were close to the edge of the stairs, ready to make Ginny's entrance as the last person in the procession. "What happened to Malfoy?"

"Oh, uh…" Ginny stuttered, her smile faltering. "W-well… things happened, and…"

"Weasleys!" Kendra hissed. "You're next!"

Ginny silently thanked whatever deities there were for interrupting their conversation. In all of the commotion, she hadn't come up with a good enough excuse about the partner switch if her parents brought it up.

"That's a shame," Arthur replied mildly, though he didn't actually seem that sorry.

From the inside of his jacket, he pulled out a business card sized piece of paper that reflected back both of their names in gold lettering. With a gloved hand, he fed the card into the gramophone's horn sitting at the top of the staircase. Ginny took a shaky, deep breath as she glanced at the steps below her. It suddenly felt like there were too many stairs and her dress was too long.

"You'll do fantastic, Ginbug," her father whispered encouragingly, squeezing her hand for comfort with his.

* * *

><p>Draco stood next to Daphne, who was chatting quietly next to Tracey. They were waiting for the last few women to make their entrances before they began to greet all of the Ministry officials and other important figures attending the party. It felt like it took forever, with each woman taking her time walking down the stairs, walking to the center of the ballroom, and curtseying to the head of Mulieres Viginte Octo, which was currently Mrs. Parkinson. Truthfully, Draco was just becoming impatient and wanted the night to be over as quickly as possible.<p>

"_Presenting Miss Ginevra Molly Weasley, daughter of Arthur Weasley."_

Draco looked up to see Ginny making her way down the stairs at the arm of her father. Draco's eyes widened and his breath hitched. Each step she took down the steps seemed slower than the last, as if she was slowing down time. The music faded away and the voices around him became a low hum.

Ginny looked simply breathtaking.

Ginny carefully made her way down the red carpeted stairs in a champagne gown. His eyes slowly trailed down the length of her body, as if memorizing the sight in front of him. The neckline of her dress dipped in a v, hinting at her cleavage. Her satin gloved hand clutched her father's arm tightly, the only indication that she was nervous. The garment gave way to a full skirt, though not as dramatic as some of the girls' gowns. The wispy material floated down her body, settling at the bottom with a small train. It was decorated with intricate beading, creeping up from the hem of her gown with a series of vines and leaves. The beading sparkled as she moved. It was only when Ginny was halfway down the stairs that he realized that the gown was _literally_ twinkling with dimmed faerie lights.

Her father gave her a reassuring smile before leaving her on the circular platform at the center of the ballroom in front of Mrs. Parkinson. She gave a modest smile, illuminating her delicate face, which was dressed in light, feminine makeup of warm pastels. As she bent down to curtsey, Draco noticed her hair was fashioned in an elegant updo, a series of twists pinned together at the nape of her neck by an iridescent faerie wing pin. She had on a simple string of pearls around her neck and matching pearl earrings.

As she floated past him to be received by Maxwell, Draco sighed. Ginny didn't even as much as glance at him when she walked past him. Slowly it felt like his faculties were returning as he could again hear Daphne and Tracey blabbing away and the music returning to its normal volume.

"Weasley cleans up alright," Daphne said nonchalantly.

Draco blinked, coming back to reality. He looked down to see Daphne in her lacey off-white gown, sipping on a glass of champagne. He idly wondered how she had managed to procure a glass already. He couldn't see any floating drink trays around anywhere.

He simply grunted in response.

"Oh, chin up, Malfoy," Daphne cooed. "You look like someone kicked your puppy."

"I'm sure you've done it before," Draco muttered.

Shifting her weight, she looked at him seriously. "Look, I didn't do it to break your heart or whatever the hell is going on with you," Daphne gestured up and down at him with her hand, "how was I supposed to know Weasley was so damn sensitive?"

Draco glared at her but said nothing.

Kendra motioned for all of the couples to get into their positions to form a procession line in order to receive the guests of the Ball.

"Come along, Draco," Daphne said cheerfully. "We've got to greet the guests."

* * *

><p>There was little time to dwell on Ginny as Draco settled a cool, pleasant smile on his face before he had to shake hands and greet each important person at the Ball.<p>

Ginny hadn't realized how hungry she was until they were finally seated for dinner. The evening was speeding by in a blur of nerves. It was only when she took the first bite of her decadent meal that she realized she had barely eaten all day. It had taken forever to greet each and every distinguished guest at the Ball.

Looking around the room, while she carefully cut into her chicken, Ginny marveled at the ballroom. Narcissa and the house elves had truly outdone themselves. This was the best meal she had eaten in a long time, which was saying something after the spectacular food they had had at Malfoy Manor. The ballroom looked absolutely magnificent from the expensive Oriental rug covering the stairs and stage to the gleaming marble floor. The ornate gold ceiling looked like it was borrowed from Buckingham Palace. Elaborate chandeliers hung from the ceilings and matching candelabras were spaced out on the long dinner table. Classical music was quietly buzzing throughout the room, setting the scene.

Sitting alongside Maxwell, Ginny was struck by the fact that she was actually enjoying herself with these stuffy people. Part of her was still trying to make a good impression on all of the esteemed guests, but she didn't find it as much of a struggle as she thought it would be. Begrudgingly, she admitted that some of the lessons they learned were actually helpful. Even dinner wasn't as much of a stressful situation, though that was likely thanks to Draco's etiquette lessons, Ginny thought wistfully before shoving him out of her mind.

Some of the guests were awkward, but some of them were rather lovely, such as the woman sitting across from her, Zinnia Bonham, a direct descendant of Mungo Bonham himself. It seemed too perfect that they were seated near each other, but Ginny jumped at the opportunity to talk to the woman who was at the head of the hospital board. She turned to the right and saw her parents further down the table, chatting it up with some Ministry officials across from them.

While digging into the incredible pudding placed in front of her, Maxwell leaned over.

"It's not so bad is it?"

"What's not so bad?" She asked, turning her head up slightly to meet his eyes, but couldn't quite read his expression. His sandy hair was carefully tamed atop his head. It was strange seeing him in such formal attire, when normally he was much more casual in comparison to his friends. The tuxedo fit his stocky frame well, and he was color coordinated with Ginny's gown.

"This ball," Maxwell answered, his lips twitching upwards. "You seem to be fitting in rather well. I think Zinnia's rather taken with you."

"Nonsense, I was just talking about the hospital," Ginny brushed it off. "I work there after all…. Do you really think she likes me?"

"She seemed pretty interested in hearing what you had to say judging from her expression," he explained. "I would know, my mother is good friends with Zinnia and donates often to the St. Mungo's Foundation."

"Wow, seriously?"

Maxwell nodded. "I wouldn't be surprised if she puts in a good word for you with your instructors."

Ginny tried not to look to happy at Maxwell's words. They _had _been speaking about what parts of the hospital she would like to work in the most, and she did happen to mention she was interested in either working at the Dai Llewellyn or Janis Thickey Wards.

Before she knew it, it was time to for the next part of their program. As much as Ginny wanted take a nap after eating scrumptious pudding, the Ball participants had to perform a waltz. Thankfully, Maxwell and Ginny were positioned further down the dance floor, so she wouldn't have to dance with Draco when they switched partners.

Placing herself in Maxwell's arms, Ginny stole a glance at Draco over her partner's shoulder. She immediately regretted it as she watched him adjust his tuxedo jacket. She had been doing her best to avoid him throughout the night thus far, despite the couple of times flashes of white blond entered her peripheral vision.

Draco looked like a platinum prince. The black tuxedo complete with tails only accentuated his lean but firm frame. It looked ridiculous on some of the other blokes, but Draco seemed to be made for formal wear. His gloved hands reached up to adjust his neatly coiffed blond hair and off white bowtie. His bowtie and cummerbund matched Daphne's dress. As he settled into place with Daphne, she studied his face. His chiseled features were hardened, looking serious and collected. Draco's eyes caught hers for a moment and she quickly looked away, unsettled by his intense gaze.

The first notes of the waltz started as the music of the flute glided through the air. Maxwell pulled her close to him and Ginny put her hand in his while holding up her skirt. She took this last opportunity to steal another glance at Draco. His gaze was focused on Daphne and they began to move as the rest of the orchestra introduced the waltz.

* * *

><p>Draco finally managed to tear himself away from the dance floor after an hour of near constant dancing. After the waltz and a couple of dances with the other girls, several of the older women decided they wanted to be spun around by the Malfoy heir. One of the Wizengamot members was getting particularly handsy with him, and that was when he decided he needed to escape.<p>

He quickly snatched a glass of champagne from the closest floating tray. Beads of sweat were forming on his forehead as he stopped to catch his breath. His eyes swept around the scene before him. Draco's eyes fell on Ginny's scarlet hair and her bright smile. She was currently dancing with Gunther Campbell, owner of the Wimbourne Wasps. She had probably been on the dance floor as long as he had, and didn't seem to be tired at all. Her amber eyes were shining as she glided across the floor with the other man. Her moves seemed effortless, and Draco found himself admiring at how much she could truly fit into Pureblood society.

Draco exhaled and turned his attention to something else. He saw Blaise and Lena in deep conversation. That didn't seem unusual, until he continued to study them. Blaise was gesticulating wildly, which he usually did when he had something important to say. Lena's dark eyes flashed angrily in response. She seemed to be angry and upset judging from her glare and stance. Blaise looked sheepish and unsure. As if they knew that Draco was watching him, they began to come towards him. Lena was stubbornly pushing Blaise in his direction, which Draco would have laughed at, if it weren't for Lena's furious expression. It was a sight to behold with Blaise in his tuxedo and Lena in fancy jewels and feathery eggshell gown.

Draco raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with you two?"

"Go on," Lena commanded, crossing her arms across her chest. Draco had never seen the woman so serious and angry in his life. She was usually so easy-going and approachable. "Tell him. I have to go take care of _her_."

Before either of the men could get a word in, Lena stalked away, in pursuit of her own mission.

"I've never seen your girl that angry," Draco commented, bringing the champagne glass to his lips.

"Well, she has good reason to," Blaise sighed.

"What the hell did you do?"

"Me?! Why would you think I did anything?" Blaise replied, looking affronted.

"Because it's usually your fault," Draco answered in a matter of fact way.

"That may be true more often than not, but shockingly the world does not revolve around me," Blaise explained. Draco snorted into his glass.

Blaise grabbed a champagne flute as well before launching into his tale. "I had just taken a break from dancing and headed off to the loo. I had to make sure that-" Blaise paused to motion up and down over himself "-this was looking as perfect as ever. So I get in front of the mirror and start admiring my handsome self. I was quite taken with the way my hair looked…"

"Blaise!" Draco shouted impatiently. "Just get on with the story!"

* * *

><p>Right… So I was saying, I managed to escape Mrs. Travers and entered the loo. Lena's been dancing with damn near every bloke and I knew I wanted to make my move tonight. So, I took a good, long look in the mirror to make sure that I looked like perfection personified. Not a single hair was out of place. My clothes were still perfectly pressed thanks to a handy spell. Looking closely, I happened to notice that my eyes look quite fetching with this tuxedo…<p>

_Blaise! Get to the point or I _will_ hex you! _

Put your wand down, Draco. Relax… As I was saying… I freshened up a bit to make sure I smelled bloody fantastic after dancing out there for so long. I patted the pocket of my tuxedo jacket just to make sure it was there. I still haven't given Lena the little box that I've been carrying around for the last few days.

_What box? _

Really, Draco? I've been going on about this for the last several days, and you honestly didn't even listen to me? Some best mate you are. You even nodded in agreement when I said I was going to get her a princess cut diamond. And to think I was going to ask you to be my best man. But _no_, you've been too busy brooding around about Weasley like the miserable git you are.

Anyway, I digress. Right when I decided I was going to march right out there and give it to her, I heard a few voices entering and they mentioned your name. So, being the bloody fantastic spy that I am, I quickly entered a stall, locked it with a couple of spells, and casted a Disillusionment spell on myself, you know, just in case.

After they did their business, I hear the faucet opening as they washed their hands. And then I realize who is on the other side of the stall. Max and Theo. Maxwell sounds really eager and smug as he's blabbing away to Theo.

I hear Max say, "Tonight is going to be the night."

"For what?" Theo asks, though he doesn't seem that enthused.

"The final plan in fucking over Malfoy," Max says, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. Personally, I think he's a moron to be admitting this out loud. I mean, what kind of wannabe evil mastermind actually reveals his plan out loud, and to a witness no less? An imbecile, that's who.

"What are you going on about?" Theo asks suspiciously.

From the crack in the stall, I can see Max rolling his eyes, before he reaches into his tuxedo jacket and pulls out a flask. Who the hell actually carries a flask? He offers it to Theo who politely refuses. "I've told you long ago that I'm sick of Draco constantly one-upping me. He gets every damn thing. Money. Fame. Women. Did you know that I liked Bridget first? It all comes so easy to him and his family, and my family had to claw their way back to the top. We've finally rightfully gotten back our fortune, but I know all of your families still look down on mine, especially the Malfoys. It's time Draco pays his dues."

Maxwell has gone off his rocker. Your mother practically treats him like one of his own, and even my mother is nice to him, which is saying something.

"What exactly is your master plan?" Theo questioned cautiously.

Max flashes him an evil grin and takes a swig. "Well, you know how Draco and I had that bet, yeah? I just did that at first to piss him off. I didn't really think he could get along with Weasley, which would mean I could finally win. But then, once I realized Draco was falling for the girl, I realized I could cause more damage. That's why I recruited Daphne. She was getting jealous that Ginny would become Queen Bee or something, so we concocted a plan to get them both together in the same place and that Ginny would hear what a bastard Draco really is. And it totally worked."

"What about Ginny's feelings?" Theo asked, and I could tell that he was a little irritated by Max. _I_ was getting irritated by Max, and we all know what a calm, level-headed fellow I am.

"She'll be fine. After all, she gets to be _my_ partner," Max said smugly. "I conveniently went up to Narcissa a little while after their fallout and recommended that Draco and I switch partners because there was so much drama between him and Ginny. She seemed to understand so I didn't even have to make up some story. We seem to be working rather well together. I wouldn't be surprised if she gets named Belle of the Ball."

"So that's your grand plan? To make Ginny Belle of the Ball?" Theo snorted.

"Oh no," Max shook his head as if Theo was dimwitted. "Once this is all done, we're all going to be going home." Maxwell paused and pulled out an old-fashioned iron key. "I got us a room. Tonight is going to be the night."

"That you're going to be beaten into a bloody pulp?" Theo offered.

"No," Max rolled his eyes. "After I shag the Weasley so thoroughly, she won't even remember Draco Malfoy. I will finally have something that he wanted and can't have. I win." Maxwell sounded a little demented, and I don't blame Theo for backing away when he did.

"Look, I'm all for revenge, Max, but this is twisted," Theo finally uttered, thoroughly skeeved out. "I'm all for getting a pretty girl, a shag, and revenge but this is not the way to go about it, mate."

"It is not," Max said fiercely. "Malfoy deserves this! He acts like I should be lucky that he has blessed me with his presence. I'm just as good as him, if not better. We're both part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight. My family has a sizable vault of gold at Gringotts. I'm just as good looking as him, if not better. And I'm a nicer person."

"You aren't sounding very nice right now," Theo pointed out. "You sound completely mental. And I'm going to back away before I somehow become an accomplice to your idiotic plan."

Theo threw the towel he was using to wipe his hand into the basket below the sink. He gave Maxwell a look that both looked like pity and disgust before walking away. Maxwell looked like he had just been disrespected and angry as a result of it. He slammed his clenched fist onto the counter in frustration.

"This is my night!" He shouted to no one in particular. Well, I guess to me, but he didn't know I was there. And then, Maxwell took a long swig of his flask before walking out. I counted to ten before I slowly let myself out of the stall, unsure of what the hell just happened. I mean, I know we aren't always the nicest to Max, but it's all for a good joke.

So then, I went up to Lena and told her about this and here we are. Draco, he's honestly insane. We need to do something about it. That's why Lena shoved me over here. You – and Ginny – deserve to know what an utter arsehole Max really is.

…Draco? Draco? Are you alright? You look like you're about to crush that glass in your hand. I've never seen you look this red before. Or I guess, pink, since you're so damn pale.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** First off, I am SO sorry this took forever to get up! I was busy with job interviews and I finally got a full-time job! Good news for me, but bad news for writing since I'll have less time to myself – meaning updates may be slow(er). Back to the story: I hope that wasn't too much of a cliffhanger! I planned to make this a longer chapter, but wanted to get something up rather than a super long wait, so I cut it in half. I really enjoyed writing Blaise's POV. I'm not sure what fic I got the nickname Ginbug from, but it's stuck with me and I really like it. If anyone remembers, let me know so I can credit them! And the bathroom scene is inspired by "She's All That".

Thank you so much for your lovely reviews and follows – it's almost at 100! I can't believe there are that many people interested in this story. I would greatly appreciate it if you would leave a review on your way out, I love getting those little alerts on my phone. (: Oh, and I did put up a one shot "Primum Natalis" for Ginny's birthday awhile back, if you need something else to read in the meantime, heh.


	19. Truth

**nineteen. truth.**

Ginny breathed in relief, finally being able to take a break from the dance floor. She wasn't sure how many people she had danced with, but her feet had stopped throbbing three dances ago, a likely sign that they were numb. Delicately wiping her glistening brow with a napkin, she nipped a champagne flute off of a tray floating by. She walked over to her parents, smiling as she saw them deep in conversation with Ms. Bonham. Her father was speaking animatedly about the wonders of Muggle modern medicine while her mother interjected with a hilarious instance in which Arthur miserably failed at figuring out the function of a vacuum.

Just as she was ready to return to the dance floor, Lena appeared, looking panicked and infuriated. She practically ran towards Ginny, her face scrunched and flushed in anger. It looked almost comical with her feather gown flouncing around her.

"Come on!" Lena shouted when she was close enough to her, reaching out to grab Ginny by the arm.

"Where, Lena?!" Ginny asked, quite unsure of what was happening. She struggled to slip her arm out of Lena's grasp.

"I said, come on, Gin!"

"Before I blindly go with you, at least tell me what's going on!" Ginny cried impatiently as Lena let her go in the confusion. If they were going to go on some mission, she didn't want to walk into a situation without knowing what was happening. "Did Blaise do something? I'll kill that prat."

"Blaise?" Lena looked at her, bewildered. "Oh, no. He's good in my books now that he told Draco what happened."

"Draco?" It was Ginny's turn to look confused.

"We need to find Maxwell," Lena huffed, her rapid breathing beginning to slow down.

"What? Why?" Ginny looked at her friend with concern. "Is everything okay? What does Draco have to do with anything? Is Max alright?"

"Dear Merlin, I hope not," Lena muttered before practically shouting, "I hope he's the least alright person ever!"

"Kindly please explain in words that make proper sense, Lena Shafiq, or I won't hesitate to hit you with a Calming Spell," Ginny said, looking at her friend strangely. She had never seen Lena act like this. She didn't even know she could be this angry at someone or something. What caused Lena's mood to change so drastically? What had happened in the hour that Ginny had been gliding across the dance floor?

"Maxwell isn't who you think he is. You thought Draco was an arsehole? Well, Maxwell is the sick bastard," Lena prefaced, before launching into the long tale Blaise had told her a short while ago. Ginny's eyes widened as Lena wildly gesticulated during the sordid tale. She could feel her cheeks heating up, and there was no doubt that her own face was becoming redder and redder as Lena's voice was rising.

"…Don't you see, Ginny? Draco really isn't all that bad. It's Max! _Now_ do you see why we need to get going?" Lena pleaded, trying to persuade the redhead to confront him.

"What do you expect me to do once we find Max?" Ginny finally said, surprised that her voice was steady. Somehow, even with this revelation, she had managed to find the one positive thing in all this: Draco. He wasn't really the manipulative bastard she thought he was. And that was enough to keep her blood from boiling at that moment.

"Hex him, punch him in the face, kick him where the sun doesn't shine," Lena exclaimed, "I don't care, but you have to do something!"

Ginny raised an eyebrow at Lena's outburst. "Aren't you always about rising above it all and being a better person?"

"Even I'm not that much of a saint," Lena grumbled. "He deserves it for being a slimy rat."

"That's true," Ginny said slowly, the heat rising in her belly once again as she thought of what Lena had just revealed to her. She still hadn't decided what was worse, being used maliciously for a bet, or the fact that Maxwell had played her like a fiddle all along. When had she become so naïve? She should've recognized a con from a mile away after growing up in a house of tricky siblings her whole life. Ginny wanted to slap herself from being so blind. All of the unnecessary drama with Draco had clouded her judgement.

Her face froze in anger the more she thought about it. Setting down the champagne glass she was drinking earlier, Ginny grabbed Lena's hand.

"Let's go find the bastard."

Lena yelped but dutifully followed her friend, though Ginny was basically leading her. Only, the redhead wasn't exactly sure where to go. She turned in several directions, hoping to catch a glimpse of Maxwell in the wavering sea of dancing people. He was nowhere in sight.

Laughter tinkled from behind. Ginny spun around and her lips formed a mischievous grin. It was Max's little accomplice, Daphne. The women tore off in her direction, dresses dragging carelessly across the floor.

"Oi, Greengrass!" Ginny hollered, not caring that she was likely acting uncouth.

"What?" Daphne snapped, whirling around.

"Where's Fawley?" Lena demanded, before Ginny could ask. "We have a bone to pick with him."

"You really aren't good at this, are you," Ginny murmured to Lena. Lena sheepishly shrugged but let her friend get on with the interrogation.

"What she said," Ginny agreed, nodding her head in Lena's direction.

"Shouldn't you know?" Daphne asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at the both of them. "After all, he is _your_ partner."

"Cut the crap, Daphne," Ginny snapped. "I know Maxwell has been playing me all along. I need to find his sorry arse and settle this once and for all."

To her surprise, Daphne's demeanor changed dramatically. Rather than the suspicious and on guard Daphne Ginny usually encountered, she suddenly became welcoming. Daphne's narrowed eyes crinkled in delight and a friendly smile graced her face. Almost too friendly.

"Well, in that case, Weasley, I will be more than happy to lead in the right direction," Daphne proclaimed, now completely abandoning her dance partner, much to his chagrin.

"Since when do you want to help me?" Ginny asked, folding her arms across her chest.

"I may have helped Fawley, but that doesn't mean I'm on his team. I fly solo. If the situation benefits me, then I am more than happy to participate," Daphne explained, nonchalantly dusting off non-existent dust from her dress. "Besides, if you're going to go kick his arse, I don't want to miss this."

Ginny didn't have time to question the other girl further. She wanted to get this over with and end this ridiculous charade once and for all. No one made a fool of Ginny Weasley. Not with her knowledge, anyway.

"Fine, fine," Ginny waved her off. "You Slytherins are so damn dramatic."

"I'm pretty sure I saw Maxwell and a few of the other blokes walk out onto the balcony," Daphne said, gathering her gown and began to walk in that direction.

Without another word, Ginny and Lena followed suit. As they weaved through the numerous guests on the dance floor, an uncomfortable knot settled at the bottom of her stomach. That day where she had slapped Draco ran through her mind. How could she have trusted Maxwell so fully? After everything she and Draco had gone through to build trust with one another. Ginny was so quick to think the worst of him, even after all that time. Draco's words echoed through her mind. He had even been trying to tell her something. Why had she never given him the opportunity to say something? The bridge must have been more fragile than she thought.

Something else hit her. When she had discovered Draco's betrayal, Ginny felt crushed. It felt like something had been shattered, something irreparable. But when she learned of Maxwell's wrongdoing, her reaction was nowhere as severe. Sure, she felt angry and embarrassed, but Ginny was angry at herself for falling for Max's cheap tricks. What made this situation any different?

The knot only continued to grow, twisting this way and that inside of her uncomfortably as they reached the door of the balcony. Ginny gripped her wand, already feeling it humming in her hands in anticipation.

Lena threw open the door and they spilled out onto the balcony. It looked like they wasn't the only ones that wanted a word with Maxwell. They saw Draco standing inches away from a disgruntled Maxwell, with Blaise and Theo standing behind Draco. Blazing grey eyes darted to and fro, boring into Maxwell's stubborn ones. His blond hair looked disheveled, as if he had run his hands through it a few times. His tuxedo jacket had been thrown aside and bowtie undone.

"You didn't think you could get away with it, did you, Fawley?" Draco asked menacingly.

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about," Maxwell snapped, though he was slurring his words.

"I know exactly what you're trying to do with Ginny, and it isn't going to happen," Draco grit out. "If you had any ounce of dignity left, you would get the hell out of here."

"Dignity?" Maxwell laughed hollowly. "I've spent the past several years trying to earn it back. Do you know what it means to fight your way back to your rightful place?"

Blaise snorted beside Draco, though he looked just as threatening as Draco. "What kind of idiotic question is that? I think Draco of all people would understand that, you know with all that Dark Lord business."

"You really are thick, aren't you, Max?" Draco rolled his eyes. "In case you haven't noticed, no one has had a problem with your family for years. Until now, that is."

"Do you really think Ginny is going to suddenly come crawling back to you?" Max asked with a wicked smile. "She's never going to be able to trust you again. And by tomorrow morning, lying in bed next to me, she'll be thinking 'Draco Malfoy who'?"

Several things happened at once. The wand in Ginny's hand shot off red, electric sparks, causing Lena and Daphne to cry out and jump back. Both Blaise and Theo saw the lividity in Draco's already angry face, and reached over to try to pull him back. They were a second too late, however, as Draco lunged at Maxwell and punched him squarely in the jaw. Maxwell fell back from the unexpected blow, howling in pain.

Ginny blinked in confusion. What in the world had just happened? Did Draco Malfoy actually just punch someone? For what? For _her?_

"I didn't think you would sink down to his level, Malfoy," Ginny called out from where she had been silently watching from, causing Draco to whirl around in surprise. "I would've thought behaving like a Muggle would be considered vulgar to a Malfoy or some rot."

"Oh no, this is still a level above wherever the hell Fawley stooped to," Draco huffed, slightly out of breath from his adrenaline rush.

Ginny walked up to the men, looking down at Max with utter disdain. She could already see ugly splotches of red and purple blooming on his skin, the early signs of a bruise appearing. It would no doubt disfigure his face for several days, much to her pleasure.

"Ginny, can you believe what Malfoy just did?" Max cried out, though it was muffled as he reached to clutch the left side of his face. "He's gone absolutely mental. You have to believe me!"

"Are you still crying wolf, Fawley? I know all about your disgusting plan to use me against Draco. I can't believe I actually fell for it," Ginny said, crossing her arms. "Did you actually think you were going to _seduce _me?" She laughed. "You better thank Merlin that Draco got it on the first try so I didn't have to do it. And don't even think about asking me to heal your face."

Gripping her wand, she pointed it at the fallen man, her voice wavered in anger. "Now get the hell out of my sight before I decide to do something _much_ worse to you."

Maxwell stammered in disbelief, unsure of what to do. He fumbled for a bit on the ground in search of his wand. When his hands finally wrapped around the piece of wood, he quickly Disapparated without another thought.

She turned, expecting to see Draco, but found that he had wondered away. She saw his tuxedo jacket fallen on the ground, and reached down to retrieve it. Gathering her skirts and the jacket, she turned to walk down the steps from the balcony when she saw a familiar flash of blond. Ginny carefully walked onto the grass and strode to the bench, standing a couple of feet away from Draco. She observed him fumbling with his wand, trying to think of spells to fix the fist that had come into contact with Maxwell's face only minutes ago. He quickly gave up, trying to nurse the right hand with his left.

"You forgot this," Ginny asked quietly.

Startled, Draco looked up in surprise.

She moved to sit next to him, and a careful smile formed on her face. She reached for his injured hand and he hissed in pain.

"I could've done taken care of myself, you know."

"Believe me, I would know of all people," Draco said with a rueful smile.

The tip of her wand began to graze his skin, tracing intricate patterns over both sides of his injured hand. After murmuring a few spells, Ginny spoke. "You know, you hit him pretty hard," she sounded mildly impressed. "I didn't think you had it in you."

"Why the hell not?" Draco huffed, looking down at his hand, wiggling and flexing his fingers. She knew the pain was wearing off and it was returning to normal. "Just because I'm a Malfoy doesn't mean I can't throw a punch."

"It must have been some uncontrolled magic," Ginny commented in a teasing manner.

They sat in silence a few more moments, unsure of what to say. She had no idea where they were supposed to go from here. A week ago she had slapped him in the tower and refused to even look at him. They had come so far in the past several weeks only to go back to square one. Ginny didn't even know if he would want to talk to her again after the mess that had been made.

It was then that Ginny noticed that he hadn't bothered to remove his hand out of hers. The pace of her heart quickened. She looked up to see Draco's eyes searching hers. She could sense the uncertainty within them, perhaps even a glimmer of hope. It was then that she realized that Draco had been trying for days to get her to speak to him, but to little avail. How foolish she now felt, rebuffing him each time. If she had just given him the chance to speak earlier, perhaps they wouldn't be in this situation.

Ginny flipped her hand so it was now clasping Draco's. She opened her mouth a couple of times, but promptly closed it, unsure of what to say. She was feeling so many things at once. The need to apologize to him for being the forever obstinate girl that she was. She wanted to thank him for clocking Maxwell once and for all. She also wanted to reprimand him for getting into this idiotic bet in the first place and putting her in this unfortunate position. And a small part just wanted to throw in the towel and kiss him, hoping he would simply understand all of the things racing through her mind at that moment.

She seriously considered that last option for a moment when she took a glance at his face. Ginny gulped. She knew she had to say something. She felt that she owed it to him. "Listen, Malfoy… Draco… I-I… I don't know how to say this, so bear with me, alright? I… just wanted to say-"

"Weasley?" A familiar voice called out. Both Ginny and Draco turned to see Kendra walking towards them, in her own formal black gown. Even at the Ball she had a clipboard in hand. "Finally, Weasley, I've been looking all over for you! I've already gotten all of the other girls. We just need you."

"Damnit, Kendra, can't it wait?" Draco growled angrily. Ginny had to agree, the woman had impeccably horrible timing.

"No, Mr. Malfoy," Kendra retorted, "it cannot. We only have the photographer for so long, and we need a photo of all of the girls in the class. The faster you come with me, the more quickly we can get it done."

"Can't you just take the picture later? It can't be hard to push a button on the camera," Draco snapped.

"You go on and tell your mother that then," Kendra barked, her eyes narrowing.

Ginny sighed, looking torn. They finally had a moment of peace and quiet, away from the rest of the craziness inside. She was just beginning to find the words that she wanted to say to Draco. She shifted between Kendra's impatient face and Draco's pleading and rarely earnest one. But she had to honor her duty as a Ball participant. And a promise that she had made to herself to see this through long before any of this happened.

"Fine," Ginny sighed, reluctantly letting go of Draco's hand. He looked at her, stunned into silence. "Let's get this over with."

Kendra practically squealed in happiness as Ginny rose to follow her. As the two women walked back towards the building, Ginny couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed that Draco didn't protest. He didn't move to stop her from going inside. Maybe she had been reading everything wrong, just as she always had.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** WOW, okay. It's been awhile! I didn't realize how big of an adjustment being a sort of adult would be. It's been hard trying to work on this chapter, so I apologize that it's short, but I really wanted to put something up! I did not intend to take that long of a break in between for the chapters, and I sincerely apologize for its quality (and errors!) and its length, but we're only a couple of chapters to the end! And I've already started on two long fics, so I will most definitely be active next year too. (: Can't get rid of me that fast. As always, thank you so much for reviewing, following, and favoriting. It really means the world to me! Please, please leave a review on your way out – they totally make my day when I take a break to check my email. Happy Thanksgiving to those that celebrate!


	20. Time

**twenty. time. **

Draco walked through the large stone doors of Hogwarts, walking on the bridge leading to the path towards Hogsmeade. It was quite annoying that Apparition was still not allowed on the grounds. He had had the option to Floo, but Draco hated the soot and dirt that came along with it. The bright sun overhead strained his eyes, forcing him to reach into his robe for his sunglasses. It was rare to see the castle so empty yet so lush. The sky was clear, the grass was a vibrant green, and it was eerily quiet with no students around. However, the walk give Draco a chance to mull over what had just transpired.

A few days had passed since the Ball, since the last time he had seen Ginny. Draco was unsure of what to do. Just when it seemed like they were about to finally break the ice again and speak, she had been whisked away. He tried in vain to find a moment when Ginny would be free, but she was occupied the rest of the night. Before he knew it, the Ball was over. Ginny was gone, without a trace. Not so much as a goodbye or a mention that they would speak again. Perhaps Ginny really didn't have anything to say to him after all. Draco wondered if he had read too much into the situation. Maybe he had run out of time.

Just like that, it felt as if the past two months had barely happened at all. The Manor was swept clean of any trace of the Conservatory. All of the furniture had gone back into their proper places and each and every room had been returned to its regular state. Draco himself returned to his flat in London, which only looked even barer than it usually did to him. So he did what he knew best: drown himself in work, meetings, and networking events. He met with board members and investors throughout the days and usually fell asleep with contracts and documents as company.

This was actually the first time in the past few days he truly had time to himself. Draco arrived to Hogwarts at the tail end of lunch, for a meeting with Professor McGonagall. They had arranged to meet for possible restoration of the Malfoy governorship of Hogwarts. He anxiously sat there throughout the meal, waiting for the actual meeting, as he picked at his lunch, barely able to eat. McGonagall explained to him the changes the school had had since the war and updated him on changes in the curriculum. Draco carefully nodded here and there, as he glanced around the large room.

It still had a sense of familiarity with its enchanted ceiling and floating candles. Rather than the traditional four long tables assembled in the room, they were sitting on one long table, much like it had when it was set up for the holidays. He recognized a few of his old professors, but there were several new faces, and much to his surprise, Neville Longbottom. Draco supposed he couldn't really discount him anymore, what with his part in the War and his work as an Auror.

Professor McGonagall led him on a quick tour of the campus and a stroll past the Quidditch Pitch, at which she lit up, discussing the continued success of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, much to his irritation. Draco resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Didn't she realize this was a sore spot for him, having been disgraced by Potter year in and year out? Ginny Weasley didn't help matters either. He inwardly groaned, further irritated that that redhead had gotten to him once again. Draco closely paid attention to whatever the professor was blabbing on about so he wouldn't think about her.

The eventually settled in the Headmaster's – or rather Headmistress' – office. He took a seat across from Professor McGonagall, who looked at him carefully through her usual round spectacles sitting at the bridge of her nose. He fought back a gulp. Though he hadn't been a student in years, it still felt like he was going to get reprimanded by her. Moreover, Draco felt a little uneasy being in this office. It didn't hold the most pleasant of memories for him. Thankfully, the room no longer looked like it did back in his school days. Most of Professor Dumbledore's gadgets were no longer in the office, and it was now pristine and organized. If possible, there were more books stuffed into the bookshelves. McGonagall had taken to placing several Quidditch mementos from her long tenure at Hogwarts as well. Several of the former Professor portraits stared at him with curiosity in their eyes. Even with the dramatic changes, it still felt all too familiar from him.

Draco involuntarily gulped and willed himself to calm down. It wouldn't do to break down right before an important meeting. Instead, he numbly took a biscuit from McGonagall as she offered him, along with a cup of tea. As he carefully stirred the sugar in to his tea, she began to speak.

"Now, Mister Malfoy, as you know I had invited you out to discuss the prospect of a governorship."

"Yes, Headmistress," Draco nodded, before quietly sipping his tea.

"While based on your actions since the war, I would want to extend you the offer-" Draco sat up straight in his seat at that, though he felt the prickly sensation of foreboding, "-I had to bring this decision to a vote with the rest of the governors."

_Damnit._ Though McGonagall never favored him – and she favored few students at that – he knew that at least she was usually a fair person. Some of the governors of the board, however, would not be as pragmatic. His family had histories with many of these people, for better or for worse, thanks to his father and grandfather. Draco couldn't mend those bridges overnight.

"Unfortunately Mister Malfoy, I cannot extend the offer at this time," Professor McGonagall finally said.

Suddenly he didn't want any more of the witch's tea and biscuits, and tried to set down his saucer on the desk as politely as he could. McGonagall stared down at him carefully through her spectacles while she opened up a file that Draco hadn't even noticed sitting on top of the desk.

"I do have another potential opportunity for you, however, Mister Malfoy," Professor McGonagall began. "I received this referral from a reliable source a short while ago much to my surprise.…"

* * *

><p>Before Ginny knew it, she was back home at the Burrow in her tiny, little pink room. The past few days had flown by between returning back to the Burrow, what with packing up all of her belongings at Shell Cottage, the last minute planning for her party, and getting ready for her new job. Any other free moment she had left was quickly eaten up by spending time with family and friends or hunting for a flat. She would drag her feet up the stairs late into the night and promptly crash into a deep sleep each time. Ginny was thankful for that, however, because it left her little time to think about the way things had ended with Draco.<p>

She had no idea what to do about that. What were they to each other at this point? She owed Draco some sort of apology, at the very least for never bothering to hear him out. There had been no time as the Ball winded down, between all of the photography and continued schmoozing with party guests. After saying goodbye to Lena, she didn't have an opportunity to seek him out. For once, her eye was unable to catch that distinct glint of silvery-blonde. Instead, Ginny simply Apparated back to The Burrow with her parents, her luggage already waiting for her at home.

Ginny sighed. She was over this silly party and it hadn't even happened yet. Even at that very moment, they were going over more party details, such as finalizing all of the seating arrangements. Ginny sat there on the small table in the bright and airy kitchen as her mother continued to go through all of the returned envelopes.

"….Ah, here's one from Muriel. Glad to see she'll be attending after all," Molly said out loud, adding Aunt Muriel to the long scroll of parchment that had seating arrangements. Each person's name was floating on the diagram, ready to be easily moved at a moment's notice.

Before Ginny could groan, she heard George groan from behind her. Ginny turned around in her seat to see George and Ron shutting the back door behind them. Their flaming ginger heads looked at her, grinning at her in greeting.

"Oh Gods, Mum, did you say Aunt Muriel?" George added, before ruffling Ginny's hair, much to her indignation. She quickly fluffed out her hair to its natural position before George messed it up. He grabbed a peach from the bowl in the middle of the table and slid into a chair across from Ginny.

"Oh hush up, George, she's family," Molly said, looking up through her glasses as she continued to go through the stack of envelopes in front of her.

"It's not like we had any choice in the matter," George muttered and Ginny stifled her laugh as their mother gave them both warning looks. Luckily for them, the timer sitting on top of the stove chirped, distracting Molly as she cast aside the envelopes and rose from her seat. With the oven open in the small kitchen, the sweet smell of cake started to fill the room.

"Looks like we came right on time," George grinned, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

"Of course you two remembered the day Mum was going to bake all of the cakes," Ginny rolled her eyes though she couldn't help but smile either.

"Hey, Gin, isn't this your friend in the paper?" Ron asked, who was rustling through _The Daily Prophet _next to her. He passed along the page to her. It was from the society section. Ginny could see a stunning Lena beaming up at the ever handsome Blaise on the dance floor, everyone else blurred around them. Above them, the title read "BRITAIN REPATRIATE: BELLE OF THE BALL". Her eyes quickly scanned the article but she knew what it was about just from the headline. Lena had no doubt had been a popular woman at the Ball. Men were lining up to dance with her, and she charmed every person she spoke to. It was quite obvious that she was the front runner, Ginny realized in hindsight. With a ghost of a wry smile, she realized that Draco would have lost the bet anyway, even if they had gotten along.

Molly came back to the kitchen table, and a plate with several slices was placed in front of Ginny. There were a bunch of different flavors ranging from lemon to chocolate to carrot. Her eyebrows rose at the thought of her mother making that many cakes, just for her to test for the sake of a silly party. It wasn't the first time she felt the guilt in the pit of her stomach writhe at the thought of her parents going through great lengths to make this party happen. Though they weren't as poor as they once used to be, her parents were nowhere close to Malfoy levels of fortune.

"Mum, you didn't have to do all this, really," Ginny said, hesitatingly sinking her fork into the nearest slice, which happened to be chocolate.

Her mother waved her off. "We have to do things the proper way for your debut. You know, I still can't believe that a child of mine participated in Mulieres Viginti Octo. It was so exciting being able to attend the Ball with you. I know it seems inconsequential, but I was never able to participate myself and…"

As soon as she had taken a bite of her cake, Ginny had tuned her mother's rambling – which had now shifted to tents and venues – out. The moist, gooey chocolate cake made her think of her time with Draco that one night out on the balcony. To be fair, chocolate in general now made her think of Draco and his sweet tooth. She sighed in frustration. No matter how hard she tried, she could make anything connect back to Draco, whether it was an object, a smell, or in this case, food.

"Ginny, you're supposed to be trying all of the cakes!" Molly exclaimed, upon noticing that Ginny was halfway through her chocolate slice, leaving all of the other pieces untouched.

She heard Ron to the right of her. "I'm more than happy to eat those slices for you, Gin." She knew he was a little sad at the fact that he and George weren't get spoiled with over six slices of cake. Molly had only given them two slices each and promptly decided to save the rest for future family dinners.

"Oh no you don't, Ron Weasley," Molly chided as George chuckled. Their mother decided to change the topic. "What do you think about doing a buffet? It's much easier and I think it's more youthful."

"Sure, that sounds good," Ginny noncommittally agreed, not really listening to what Molly was asking.

"Am I boring you, dear?"

"Hmm? Tents sound great, Mum."

"Ginny!" Molly called out, snapping her daughter back to reality. "The party is only a few days away! Where is your head?"

"I'm sorry, Mum," Ginny said guiltily, focusing her attention to trying the rest of the desserts.

"There's a bunch of details that we still need to go over, or would you like me to do it myself?"

Ginny shrugged. She couldn't care less about any of these minute details. Frankly, she wanted to get this party over with so she could put this strange chapter of her life behind her. By then, she would be starting her new job and she needed to focus all of her energy and attention into that.

"Narcissa Malfoy is coming?" Ron asked, interrupting their conversation. At some point he had taken to perusing the envelopes.

"Of course she is," Molly said, taking the stack away from him. "She's the director of the organization, after all. And you all will be extremely gracious to her as she has been to Ginny while she was at their home."

Ginny struggled to cover her snort. Narcissa wasn't mean to her, but she certainly wasn't the most hospitable host she had had. Mrs. Malfoy had nitpicked every little thing about her until she and Draco had finally reached a truce. That made her think of something else. If Narcissa was confirmed to come… would Draco come too?

She was suddenly very interested in looking through the rest of the confirmations. If Narcissa was coming, she would likely bring a plus one. And judging from her etiquette lessons, Mrs. Malfoy wasn't about to bring a random suitor to a function. That basically only left one option – her son.

For the first time that day, her eyes brightened and she dared to ask, "Is she bringing a plus one?" Ginny hoped she didn't sound too hopeful.

Ron glanced at the invitation and shrugged. "Doesn't look like it."

The gentle thumping in her heart that had begun abruptly stopped at Ron's comment. She put her head down in defeat, gazing intently at the cakes. However, Ginny could feel George's inquisitive gaze on her.

"So which cake is it, Ginny?" George asked with a smile. "I'm a bit partial to this carrot cake."

"Oh, I'm not sure…" Ginny said slowly. She had taken large bites out of all of the slices, but they all tasted the same. In fact, most things seemed to taste the same since she had returned home, despite her mother's fantastic cooking. Her taste buds seemed to have stayed at Malfoy Manor.

"You know," Molly began, "I was reading that tarts are becoming very trendy in _Gratifying Gastronomy_ last night. What do you think about apple tarts instead? It could be very modern."

Ginny dropped her fork and it clanked against the half empty plate. "NO! NO APPLES. MUM! GODS, HOW COULD YOU ASK ME THAT?"

She suddenly became acutely aware that she had just been shouting at her mother and that her family was staring at her. They all looked at her in stunned silence, staring at her if she had just announced that she had seen You-Know-Who again.

"Ginny, what's wrong?" Molly asked gently. "You love cake and desserts. I know this has been stressful for you but this is also supposed to be fun."

"I KNOW!" Ginny cried in frustration. "I do! It's just…" She trailed off, unable to put her thoughts into words. She wasn't about to admit to everyone at the table that she was confused about her entire life at that moment, all because of a stupid blond.

She felt her eyes begin to well up and blinked rapidly. "I mean, this red velvet cake is good, let's go with that. No tarts, okay? And no apple anything."

Ginny pushed back her chair and quickly excused herself before her mother could ask her anymore questions. She could hear Molly calling back to her but paid it no mind. Making a beeline for the stairs, she didn't pause until she hit the first landing. Ginny paused, breathing heavily, slumping against the wall.

"Not so fast, Gin," George's voice called out, nearly causing Ginny to jump out of her skin. Evidently, he had been right on her heels. "What is going on with you?"

She gulped, her eyes darting in every direction as she refused to make direct eye contact with George. "Nothing's wrong. I'm just tired with all of this planning."

"Ginny," George said her name seriously, all sight of his normal jovial attitude disappearing. "This isn't just about the party. Did something happen with Malfoy back at that Charm School?"

Her head snapped up in surprise. Out of all of her brothers, the twins had learned to read her the best. She hated it. Everything was transparent on her face, no matter how much she tried to mask her feelings around them.

"Nothing's wrong, okay?" Ginny finally answered, her voice breaking, much to her annoyance. "Please, just drop it."

George stared at her and she could feel her eyes getting glossy again. If she was watching herself, she would have rolled her eyes at her constant weepiness. Having feelings was exhausting.

"Fine," her brother replied finally, though she knew he was going to ask questions again later. Before George could say anything else, Ginny quickly ran down the small corridor into her room, slamming the door behind her.

* * *

><p>It was a warm Sunday morning. One that Draco usually would have taken advantage of. He would have woken up bright and early, quickly getting dressed for a complete English breakfast. After he took his time perusing the morning paper, he would have Apparated back onto Malfoy Manor grounds, ready to run laps on the Quidditch Pitch with the blazing sun overhead.<p>

But not today. The curtains around his floor to ceiling windows were not drawn back. It was still dark inside of his room, only dim candlelight illuminating the space. He had woken up at almost noon and enjoyed a lengthy breakfast in bed. Draco carefully read through the newspaper, savoring every detail. He didn't bother to get out of his pajamas or even make the bed like he had been accustomed to do so as a child. Nope, Draco alternated between staying in bed and trying to read some of the novels from his library.

Currently, he was under his covers with his pillows over his head. He turned his head slightly to the right, stealing a quick glance at the alarm clock. It was almost four o'clock in the afternoon. He groaned. This was going to be the longest day of his life.

Without warning, the door to his bedroom swung open. Draco knew who it was and groaned again. He could hear her clicks of disapproval as she walked into the room. He was honestly surprised Narcissa hadn't had a fit the moment she entered. He had had clothes strewn everywhere, along with most of his business documents. It looked even more depressing with the clinically white walls and plain, temporary furniture. Considering he had had little time to furnish it, Draco was satisfied for the time being. The rest of the apartment was much of the same. He had the essential furniture and his kitchen was practically barren. It didn't matter anyway. He basically used his flat as a space to sleep.

"Get up, Draco."

"How did you even get in here, Mother?" Draco asked tiredly, his voice rusty with disuse. He turned over to see his mother standing in the middle of the room, her arms crossed across her chest. She looked as immaculate as ever, though she was wearing what she called her shopping robes. He always laughed at what she thought was "casual wear", considering the price tags of her clothing. Her hair had already been done in an elegant French twist, and her nails had been done.

"A little thing called magic. Now," Narcissa began, pointing her wand at the curtains and they responded by quickly moving aside to let the bright light in. Draco immediately shielded himself with his arm, his pupils unused to the harsh light. "You need to get up. Now. Malfoys do not wallow."

"What are you talking about?" Draco said, reluctantly sitting up in bed. "Father wallowed for months after the War."

Narcissa stood their quietly for a moment before saying, "Fine, I will give you that. _Blacks_ do not wallow."

She turned and pointed her wand at all of the clothes and documents, quickly rearranging all of the papers in a neat pile, and all of his clothes onto a chaise near his wardrobe. She wrinkled her nose in disapproval, but it would do in a quick fix. He could practically hear her making notes to herself about what needed to be fixed in his flat as she looked around.

Draco finally got out of bed, brushing past his mother to sit down in the armchair. He pointedly ignored her as he reached for a piece of cold toast and perused through the paper, scanning the headlines, though he had read most of it already, anyway. His eyebrows quickly disappeared into his mussed hair as he scanned a page he had left unturned.

"Draco, you need to burn those clothes immediately," Narcissa frowned in greater disapproval, as if that was possible. He could feel the look of disappointment from her but chose not to look up. "How long have you been in those… things… for?"

"Since Thursday night," Draco replied flippantly. He knew he looked like a dreadful mess between his tired eye bags, unkempt hair, and likely a slight odor emanating from him. "Did you see this? Apparently Blaise finally popped the question." He got up and showed the paper to his mother. In the Society section was an entire page taken up by Blaise and Lena for their engagement announcement. He thought it was rather ostentatious, but then that fit Blaise rather well.

"Of course I know," Narcissa replied dismissively. "Mrs. Zabini told me a few days prior at tea. You really need to leave that office of yours once in a while, son."

At this, her glaring eyes softened with a look of concern for her son. Draco shifted uncomfortably. "It's not that I don't get out, I've just been… busy." That was lame. He forced himself to be busy so he wouldn't have time to think about other things. About her.

"Well, you clearly aren't busy today, judging by your choice in activity," said Narcissa, "and so, I am taking you out."

"Where?" Draco asked.

"I already have the house elves drawing a bath," Narcissa explained as she summoned another house elf to clean up the cold, leftover breakfast, "and I'll also have them prepare your robes."

"What, why?" Draco asked again, this time with greater suspicion. He had no desire to go anywhere. He wanted this day to be over with, so he could move on with his life. As long as he avoided the newspaper tomorrow, life would return back to how it once was, before Charm School.

"Because, my dear," Narcissa placed a hand under her son's chin, turning it in different directions, examining him. "We have a coming out party to go to."

Draco didn't miss the mischievous glint in her eyes. He knew exactly what she was trying to insinuate. He wrestled his face out of his mother's grasp.

"I am _not _going."

"Fine, Draco, be a petulant child," Narcissa said with a sigh, beginning to straighten her robes. "I simply needed an escort and would have hoped my son would accompany me. Do you know how it looks to attend these functions unaccompanied?"

Great, now his mother was trying to plant a guilt trip on him. This was always her plan of action when she wanted him to do something that he clearly had little desire to do so. Draco found it hard to say no, especially as the only child and son. He sighed.

Draco knew all along what day it was. It was the day of Ginny's official debut party. A date that he had been looking forward to, before all hell broke loose. He had received his invitation to be her escort a short time after their fall out, but doubted at that point that the invitation was still extended to him. Instead, he had stuffed the gold invitation into a forgotten book and stuffed it onto his bookcase. Every once in a while, when he stared at that shelf, a glint of gold would catch his eye and taunt him.

So instead, Draco had planned to wallow in his room, away from the rest of the world. It was a perfect way to bide his time and not have to interact with anyone in relation to Charm School. He had even purposefully been avoiding Blaise's Floo calls, as he did not want to hear anything about Ginny. If she didn't want to talk to him, then why should he? Draco chose to immerse himself deeply into running the Estate, which had been seeing greater profits in the businesses they had long invested in.

Even though this plan sounded perfect to Draco's ears, there was a little niggling in his brain. _This is your in._ Escorting his mother to the party was the perfect way to at least see her. One night when he had too much to drink at the pub with Theo, in a drunken haze he had considered crashing the party, in a bold attempt to talk to her. But that would have caused unnecessary drama and fodder for perfect gossip that would have no doubt quickly traveled like lightning through his social circle.

Draco missed Ginny. He missed seeing her day in and day out, with her brilliant red hair and warm brown eyes. He missed hearing her voice, when she would be talking a mile a minute about whatever topic currently grasped her attention. He missed her laughter, which was loud, but sounded like music to his ears. Even that brief moment in the garden at the Ball, when they had momentarily sat in peace, clung to him, in a desperate attempt to remember what it felt like to hold her hand and speak to her again. Most of all, Draco missed the way Ginny challenged him in every single way. To be a better person. She didn't look at him like he was a Death Eater that was hell bent on destroying society like so many of their community still did. Ginny saw Draco for what he was. Or at least she sued to.

Wordlessly, Draco rose from his seat and moved to the bathroom with a sigh.

He heard Narcissa turn the handle on his door. Before slipping out she said, "Oh, and don't forget to shave, dear."

Draco could hear the beaming smile on his mother's face as she excused herself.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Yes, another long break in updating. Apologies for any errors since I do my own revising. Work takes up my time and then when I get home I want to do anything but sit in front of a laptop! And I will admit, this chapter gave me so much trouble even though I knew exactly what I wanted to put into it. Some parts of the Burrow kitchen scene were borrowed from a Gilmore Girls episode, "Twenty One is the Loneliest Number", where they cake test for a party. I am going to try so hard not to take SO long for the next chapter. Thank you all who have reviewed, favorited, and followed – especially those have stuck around for so long! This story is almost done being told, but I have several others up my sleeve (and one that's already been started, hehe). I would most definitely love it if you would leave a review for this chapter as well, those email notifications seriously brighten up long days at my work desk! (:


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